Columbia  ^nitjeisftp 
mt^fCftpofBfttigtirk 

THE   LIBRARIES 


Bequest  of 

Frederic  Bancroft 

1860-1945 


o   ^ 
§   - 


The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers 
in  Virginia 


A  History  of  the  Rise  and  Early  Progress  of  tlie 

disciples  of  Christ  in  Virginia,  with. 

Biographical  Sketches  of  the 

Pioneer  Preachers 


BY 

FREDERICK  ARTHUR  HODGE 


RICHMOND,    VA. 

EVERETT  WADDEY  COMPANY 

1905 


Copyrighted  1905 

by 

Frederick  Arthur  Hodge. 


^  :^-^3C3 


CK 


Dedication 


To  the  descendants  of  the  Virginia  pioneer  preachers,  whose  lives  were 
given  to  the  restoration  of  the  Christianity  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles  in  both 
doctrine  and  practice,  this  volume  is  respectfully  dedicated. 

"1  sent  you  to  reap  that  whereon  ye  have  not  labored;  others  have 
labored,  and  ye  are  entered  into  their  labor." — John  4:38. 


PREFACE 


In  the  crowning  religious  reformation,  which  had 
for  its  object  the  restoration  of  the  primitive  Chris- 
tianity of  ApostoHc  times,  Virginia  took  no  secondary 
part.  Her  pioneers  were  in  the  front  ranks  of  the 
movement,  and  never  did  men  contend  more  earnestly 
for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints  than  did  they. 

Our  object  in  presenting  this  little  volume  to  the 
public  is  threefold.  First:  The  reformation  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  that  part  of  Old  Virginia  now  known  as 
West  Virginia  has  been  set  forth  in  Richardson's 
"Memoirs  of  A.  Campbell";  Haley's  ''Dawn  of  the 
Reformation"  performs  a  similar  work  for  Missouri; 
the  reformation  in  Ohio  has  been  depicted  in  Hayden's 
"Early  History  of  Disciples  in  Western  Reserve"; 
the  pioneer  history  of  the  movement  in  Kentucky  is 
derived  from  the  biographies  of  John  Smith  and  Jacob 
Creath;  Virginia  alone,  of  all  the  States  that  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  restoration  of  primitive  Chris- 
tianity, has  up  to  this  time  had  no  written  record  of 
her  pioneer  reformers.  Our  second  reason  is:  That 
the  younger  generation  about  to  become  the  pillars  in 
the  churches  of  Christ  know  little  if  anything  of  the 
lives  of  those  grand  old  men,  their  forefathers,  who 
fought  so  nobly  the  good  fight  of  faith;  nor  can  they 
justly  appreciate  the  necessity  of  standing  firm  on 
the  bedrock  principles  of  the  Old  Jerusalem  Gospel. 
Third:  Doctrinal  points  are  more  easily  understood 
when  their  application  is  in  the  concrete  than  when  it 
is  abstract.  Our  history  as  a  people  is  the  story  of  our 
plea  in  the  concrete. 

During  the  year  1901  the  author  embodied  some 
of  the  material  found  in  this  work  in  a  series  of  essaj^s, 


6  Preface 

which  were  published  in  the  Christian  Guide.  Owing 
to  the  interest  manifested  in  these  essays,  and  at  the 
request  of  several  Virginia  Disciples,  he  has  ventured  to 
put  this  material  into  a  more  connected  and  permanent 
form.  From  the  '^  Sketches  of  Deceased  Virginia 
Ministers,''  published  in  the  Christian  Examiner  of 
1870  and  1871,  by  Elder  Peter  Ainslie,  also  from 
"Sketches  of  our  Pioneers,"  by  F.  D.  Power,  the 
author  has  drawn  much  information  found  in  the 
second  part  of  this  work,  one  or  two  sketches  having 
been  copied  nearly  verbatim  from  Bro.  Ainslie's.  The 
sources  of  information  from  which  the  first  part  of  the 
work  is  drawn  are  mainly  the  "Millennial  Harbingers," 
"Christian  Baptists,"  and  Richardson's  "Memoirs  of 
A.  Campbell."  We  take  this  opportunity  of  acknowl- 
edging our  indebtedness  to  the  works  named. 

To  a  large  number  of  friends  and  brethren  who  have 
rendered  valuable  assistance  in  gathering  the  material, 
we   are   deeply   indebted. 

We  wish  also  to  acknowledge  our  indebtedness  to 
Bro.  F.  D.  Power,  D.  D.,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  for  the 
able  address  which  appears  as  our  Introductory 
Chapter;  also  to  Bro.  O.  B.  Sears,  Ph.  D.,  of  Farmville, 
Va.,  who  has  rendered  valuable  assistance  as  literary 
critic. 

Hoping  that  this  volume  may  make  us  value  more 
fully  the  labors  of  our  forefathers,  and  bring  us  to  a 
clearer  knowledge  of  God's  will  as  revealed  in  his  word, 
we  send  it  forth  on  its  mission. 

F.  A.  Hodge. 

Virginia  Christian  College,  Lynchburg,  Va.,  May  lOtli,  1905. 


CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTORY  page 

History  and  Doctrine  of  the  Disciples  of  Christ 9 

PART  I. 

CHAPTER  I. 

The  Dawn  of  the  Reformation 29 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  Campbell  and  Semple  Controversy 35 

CHAPTER  III. 

Mr.  Campbell  in  Richmond 50 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Publication  of  Decrees •  • 66 

CHAPTER  V. 

Thomas  Campbell's  Visit  to  Eastern  Virginia 73 

CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Dover  Decree 84 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Organization  and  Progress 95 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Defection  of  Dr.  Thomas 109 


1^- 


8  Contents 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Charlottesville  and  the  Shenandoah 118 

CHAPTER  X. 
Jeter  and  Lard  Controversy 127 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Helps  and  Hindrances 137 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Our  Status  in  this  State 152 


PART  11. 

Lives  of  the  Pioneers: 

George  W.  Abell 163 

Elder  Peter  Ainslie 173 

Elder  Atkinson 184 

Elder  James  M.  Bagby 189 

Dr.  Chester  Bullard 200 

Reuben  Lindsay  Coleman 206 

Benjamin  Creel 211 

Elder  John  Curtis 217 

Elder  John  Dangerfield 220 

Dr.  John  Du  Val 225 

James  W.  Goss 232 

Thomas  M.  Henley 243 

John  G.  Parrish 254 

Silas  Shelburn 265 

Charles  Talley 269 

A.  B.  Walthall 273 

Matthew  Webber 276 

XJnbiographed 274 


INTEODUCTORY  CHAPTEE. 


History  and  Doctrines  of  the  Discii^les 
of  Christ.* 


FREDERICK  D.  POWER. 

We  Americans  owe  our  national  privileges,  our  civil 
liberties  and  our  world  influence  to  the  Bible.  Young- 
est of  religious  bodies  that  have  sought  America's 
good,  and  distinctively  American  in  its  origin,  is  the 
body  of  believers  known  as  the  Disciples  of  Christ. 
The  various  schools  of  Christians,  according  to  the 
figures  of  Dr.  H.  K.  Carroll,  rank  numericall}^  as 
follows:  Roman  Catholic,  Methodist  Episcopal,  Bap- 
tist South,  Baptist  South  (colored),  Methodist  Episco- 
pal South,  Disciples  of  Christ;  that  is,  the  Disciples  are 
sixth  in  rank,  while  in  1890  they  had  the  eighth  place; 
and  the  increase  of  the  Disciples  in  the  decade  from 
1890  to  1900  was  84  per  cent.,  or  over  8  per  cent,  per 
annum.  These  are  the  census  figures.  In  any  showing, 
then,  of  our  American  religious  forces  this  people  must 
have  consideration.  ''That  this  religious  reformation 
has  very  seriously  influenced  the  theological  and 
ecclesiastical  developments  of  the  last  half  century, 
and  won  for  itself  a  significant  place  in  the  religious 

*  Address  delivered  in  Festival  Hall,  Woild's  Fair  Grounds,  St.  Louis, 
on  "  Disciples  of  Christ  Day"  at  the  World's  Fair,  October  30,  1904,  fol- 
lowing the  great  international  convention  of  the  Disciples. 


10  Introductory 

movements  of  the  age,  and  affected  all  churches,  no 
one  can  deny,"  says  a  writer  in  the  New  York  Inde- 
pendent. 

The  origin  of  the  Disciples  as  a  distinct  body  dates 
back  to  the  early  part  of  the  last  century.  In  different 
parts  of  the  United  States  simultaneously  arose  teach- 
ers among  the  religious  denominations  who  pleaded 
for  the  Bible  alone,  without  human  addition  in  the 
form  of  creeds  or  formulas  of  faith,  and  for  the  union 
of  Christians  of  every  name  upon  the  basis  of  the 
Apostles'  teaching.  This  movement  assumed  most 
notable  proportions  in  Western  Virginia  and  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  in  Kentucky.  In  1S23  Alexander  Campbell, 
of  Bethany,  W.  Va.,  began  to  set  forth  with  great 
vigor  and  learning,  in  a  periodical  entitled  the  Chris- 
tian Baptist,  the  plea  for  the  restoration  of  the  simple 
Gospel,  the  order  of  things  as  under  the  Apostles.  It 
was  not  a  reformation  that  was  sought,  but  a  restora- 
tion; not  the  organization  of  a  new  sect,  or  the  refor- 
mation of  an  old  one,  but  a  return  to  Jerusalem,  a 
renewal  of  the  ancient  landmarks  of  the  Christian 
religion,  a  restoration  to  men  of  Apostolic  Christianity 
in  doctrine,  ordinances  and  fruits. 

Alexander  Campbell  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and 
educated  in  the  University  of  Glasgow.  In  1807 
Thomas  Campbell,  his  father,  came  to  America,  and 
the  son  followed  him  two  years  later.  Thomas  Camp- 
bell was  a  regular  minister  among  the  Seceders,  and, 
as  such,  assigned  to  the  Presbytery  of  Chartiers,  in 
Washington  County,  Pa.  His  view  of  union,  however, 
and  of  the  sufficiency  of  the  Bible  as  a  religious  guide, 


Introductory  H 

caused    his    withdrawal    from    that    connection.     In 
August,  1809,  he  formed  'The  Christian  Association  of 
Washington,"   and   in   September   of   the   same    year 
issued    his    celebrated    ''Declaration    and    Address." 
This   paper   deplored   the   tendencies   of   party   spirit 
among    Christians     and    the    enforcement    of    human 
interpretations  of  God's  Word  in  place  of  the  pure 
doctrine  of  Christ,  and  pleaded  for  the  restoration  of 
simple,  original,  evangeUcal  Christianity  as  exhibited 
upon  the  sacred  page,  without  attempting  to  inculcate 
anything  of  human  authority,  of  private  opinion,  or 
invention  of  men,  as  having  any  place  in  the  constitu- 
tion, faith  or  worship  of  the  Christian  Church;  or  any- 
thing as  a  matter  of  Christian  faith  or  duty  for  which 
there  cannot  be  expressly  produced  a  "Thus  saith  the 
Lord,"  either  in  express  terms  or  approved  precedent. 
Commencing     with     the    admitted     truth    that     the 
Gospel  was  designed  to  reconcile  and  unite  men  to 
God  and  each  other,  the  address  proceeded  to  consider 
the  sad  divisions  that  existed,  and  their  baleful  effects 
in  the  angry  contentions,  enmities,  excommunications 
and  persecutions  which  they  engendered,  and  set  forth 
the  object  of  the  association  "to  come  firmly  and  fairly 
to  original  ground,  and  take  up  things  just  as  the  Apostles 
left  them/'  that,   "disentangled  from  the  accruing  em- 
barrassments of  intervening  ages,''  they  might  "stand 
upon  the  same  ground  on  which  the  church  stood  at  the 
beginning." 

The  proposition  was,  to  begin  anew— to  begm  at 
the  beginning,  to  ascend  at  once  to  the  pure  fountain 
of  truth,  disregarding  all  decrees  of  popes,  councils, 


12  Introductory 

synods  and  assemblies,  traditions,  perversions  and 
corruptions;  to  work  not  a  reformation  of  the  church, 
as  sought  by  Luther,  Calvin  and  Wesley,  but  its  com- 
plete restoration  at  once  to  its  original  purity  and 
perfectness.  The  conclusion  was  that  Christian  union 
could  result  from  nothing  short  of  the  destruction  of 
human  creeds  and  confessions  of  faith,  inasmuch  as 
human  creeds  and  confessions  of  faith  had  destroyed 
Christian  union. 

The  principles  of  this  address  were  cordially  endorsed 
by  Alexander  Campbell,  and  in  the  following  year, 
1810,  he  began  pubHcly  to  urge  them.  May  4,  1811, 
the  first  organization  was  made  at  Brush  Run,  Pa., 
with  thirty  members.  In  June  of  the  following  year, 
Alexander  Campbell,  in  examining  the  question  of 
infant  baptism,  and  abandoning  all  uninspired  au- 
thorities, and  appealing  to  the  Scriptures  with  critical 
search  for  the  significance  of  words  rendered  from  the 
original  Greek,  '^baptize"  and  ''baptism,"  became 
satisfied  that  they  could  mean  only  immerse  and  im- 
mersion, and  accordingly  he  and  his  father  were 
immersed.  From  that  hour  Thomas  Campbell  gave 
way  to  his  son,  and  Alexander  Campbell  became  the 
master  spirit  of  the  movement.  In  1813  the  Brush 
Run  Church  united  with  the  Redstone  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation, and  ten  years  after  with  the  Mahoning  Asso- 
ciation. At  this  time,  1823,  Mr.  Campbell  began  the 
publication  of  the  Christian  Baptist,  in  which  his 
teaching  was  set  forth,  and  began  to  attract  universal 
attention.  Opposition  was  aroused,  and  his  views 
denounced  as  heterodox,  but  great  numbers  accepted 


Introductory  13 

them.  Many  new  churches  were  organized  under  his 
preaching  and  that  of  Walter  Scott,  an  evangelist  of 
the  Mahoning  Association,  until  the  Baptists  became 
alarmed,  and  began  to  declare  non-fellowship  with 
those  who  pleaded  for  the  Bible  alone,  thus  forcing 
these  brethren  to  organize  themselves  into  separate 
communities. 

This  was  in  1827.  From  this  time  we  may  date 
the  rise  of  the  people  known  as  Disciples  of  Christ  as 
a   distinct   organization. 

To  understand  this  movement  we  must  know  some- 
thing of  the  religious  conditions  of  the  time.  The 
Church  was  sorely  divided.  Human  creeds  were  au- 
thoritative and  binding.  Sectarianism  was  rife  every- 
where. Party  lines  were  rigidly  drawn.  Christian 
union  was  ridiculed.  Sects  were  pronounced  essential 
to  the  purity,  health  and  vigor  of  the  body  of  Christ. 
True  religion  was  lost  sight  of  in  contentions  over 
rival  dogmas,  and  human  opinions  and  speculations 
were  preached  rather  than  the  Gospel.  Total  heredi- 
tary depravity  and  unconditional  election  and  repro- 
bation were  commonly  taught.  The  regeneration  of 
the  sinner  was  therefore  a  miracle,  and  could  come 
only  through  special  and  direct  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Every  case  of  conversion  was  a  distinct  act  of 
direct  and  irresistible  grace,  and  supernatural  voices, 
dreams,  visions  or  trances  were  to  attest  the  fact  of 
acceptance  with  God.  So  the  Word  of  God  was  a  dead 
letter.  The  Bible  with  the  multitude  was  a  sealed 
book,    its   teachings    confused,    its    dispensations   not 


14  Introductory 

understood,  its  word  not  rightly  divided,  its  command- 
ments made  of  none  effect  by  human  tradition.  The 
privilege  of  private  interpretation  was  withheld  from 
the  people,  and  the  clergy  alone  were  supposed  to  hold 
the  key  of  Divine  knowledge.  Sunday-schools  and 
missionary  societies  were  regarded  by  many  as  hereti- 
cal. Unbelief  was  widespread.  ''The  Age  of  Reason" 
had  not  long  been  published,  lotteries  were  chartered 
to  build  churches,  men  and  women  were  bought  and 
sold,  the  stocks,  the  pillory,  the  whipping-post  and  the 
branding-iron,  and  the  imprisonment  of  the  poor 
debtor,  were  still  known  in  America;  the  moral  tone  of 
the  people  was  low,  intemperance  w^as  general,  and 
amid  the  feuds  and  bickerings  of  sects  and  schisms  the 
Church  was  as  barren  as  she  was  belligerent. 

In  such  a  state  of  religious  society  the  Campbells 
and  their  helpers  began  the  advocacy  of  a  return  to 
the  ancient  order  of  things  as  revealed  in  the  New 
Testament.  The  principle  they  inscribed  upon  their 
banners  was  ''Faith  in  Jesus  as  the  true  Messiah,  and 
obedience  to  Him  as  our  Law-giver  and  King  the  only 
test  of  Christian  character,  and  the  only  bond  of 
Christian  union,  communion  and  co-operation,  irre- 
spective of  all  creeds,  opinions,  commandments  and 
traditions  of  men."  The  spirit  of  liberty  was  the 
spirit  of  the  movement.  American  in  origin  and 
genius,  born  when  the  clang  of  the  old  Liberty  Bell, 
"proclaiming  liberty  throughout  the  land  to  all  in- 
habitants thereof,"  and  the  thunder  of  the  guns  at 
Lexington  and  Yorktown  still  reverberated  in  the 
ears  of  the  nations,  and  standing  for  the  commonwealth 


Introductory  15 

of  faith,  it  lifted  a  banner  which  symboHzed  in  rehgion 
what  the  stars  and  stripes  symboHzed  in  government — 
hberty  and  union — Hberty  in  Christ,  union  under 
Christ. 

This  was  but  one  of  a  great  number  of  movements 
on  the  part  of  godly  men,  deploring  the  evils  that 
existed,  and  anxious  for  a  restoration  of  Christianity 
on  its  original  basis — the  Haldanes  in  Scotland,  O 'Kelly 
and  others  in  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  B.  W. 
Stone  and  his  coadjutors  in  Kentucky,  Walter  Scott 
and  others  in  Ohio,  Bullard  in  the  mountains  of  Western 
Virginia — ministers  of  different  denominations,  un- 
known to  each  other,  pleading  for  the  Bible  alone, 
without  any  addition  in  the  form  of  creeds  or  confes- 
sions of  faith.  When  Campbell,  in  1823,  began  to 
plead  for  the  original  gospel  and  primitive  order,  and 
the  union  upon  the  Apostles  of  all  who  loved  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  these  workers  began  to  touch  hands 
and  blend  together  in  one  great  common  purpose  and 
service.  The  most  notable  of  these  movements,  that  of 
Alexander  Campbell  in  Western  Virginia  and  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  that  of  Barton  W.  Stone  in  Kentucky,  were 
united  in  1831.  For  the  next  thirty-five  years  Camp- 
bell was  the  foremost  figure  in  this  movement.  Of  his 
published  writings  there  are  sixty  volumes.  His  great 
debates  with  Owen  on  'The  Evidences  of  Christianity," 
with  Archbishop  Purcell  on  'The  Infallibility  of  the 
Church  of  Rome,"  w4th  Rice  on  ''Baptism,  Conver- 
sion and  Creeds  as  Terms  of  Communion;"  and  his 
"Christian  Sj^stem,"  set  forth  his  principles. 


16  Introductory 

In  substantial  agreement  with  all  evangelical  Chris- 
tians, the  Disciples  of  Christ  accept  the  divine  inspira- 
tion of  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments; the  all-sufficiency  of  the  Bible  as  a  revelation 
of  God's  will  and  a  rule  of  faith  and  life;  the  revelation 
of  God  in  threefold  personality  of  Father,  Son  and 
Holy  Spirit,  as  set  forth  by  the  Apostles;  the  divine 
glory  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God,  His  incarnation, 
doctrine,  miracles,  death  as  a  sin  offering,  resurrection, 
ascension  and  coronation;  the  personality  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  His  divine  mission  to  convince  the  world 
of  sin,  righteousness  and  judgment  to  come,  and  to 
comfort  and  sanctify  the  people  of  God;  the  alienation 
of  man  from  his  Maker,  and  the  necessity  of  faith, 
repentance  and  obedience  in  order  to  salvation;  the 
obligation  of  the  Divine  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper;  the  duty  of  observing  the  Lord's  day 
in  memory  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus;  the 
necessity  of  holiness  on  the  part  of  believers ;  the  divine 
appointment  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  composed  of  all 
who  by  faith  and  obedience  confess  His  name,  with  its 
ministers  and  services  for  the  edification  of  the  body 
of  Christ  and  the  conversion  of  the  world;  the  fullness 
and  freeness  of  the  salvation  that  is  in  Christ  to  all  Avho 
will  accept  it  on  the  New  Testament  conditions;  the 
final  judgment,  with  the  reward  of  the  righteous  and 
punishment  of  the  wicked.  If  these  things  constitute 
orthodoxy,  then  the  Disciples  are  orthodox. 

The  Disciples  of  Christ,  however,  have  their  distinc- 
tive position.  While  in  these  cardinal  and  fundamen- 
tal matters  they  are  in  harmony  with  all  evangelical 


Introductory  17 

Christians,  and  therein  rejoice,  in  other  respects  they 
are  a  pecuHar  people. 

1.  In  their  plea  for  restoration.  Others  have  sought 
to  reform  the  Church.  The  Campbells  and  their  co- 
workers aimed  to  restore  in  faith  and  spirit  and  practice 
the  Christianity  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles  as  found  on 
the  pages  of  the  New  Testament.  It  was  not  to  recast 
any  existing  creed,  or  reform  any  existing  religious 
body,  but  to  go  back  of  all  creeds  and  councils,  all  sects 
and  schools  since  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  and  to  take 
up  the  work  as  left  by  inspired  men.  For  existing  evils 
they  claimed  the  remedy  is  to  return  to  the  beginning 
and  build  anew  upon  the  Divine  foundation.  To  be- 
lieve and  to  do  none  other  things  than  those  enjoined 
by  our  Lord  and  His  Apostles,  they  felt  must  be  in- 
fallibly safe.  Whether  practical  or  not,  this  was  their 
purpose,  and  for  this  to-day  the  Disciples  continue 
to  stand.  The  word  of  Christ  and  the  body  of  Christ 
as  in  the  beginning. 

2.  In  the  rejection  of  human  creeds.  They  claim 
to  stand  strictly  upon  the  original  Protestant  principle — 
the  Bible,  the  whole  Bible,  and  nothing  but  the 
Bible,  the  religion  of  Protestants.  They  affirm  that 
the  sacred  Scriptures  as  given  of  God  answer  all  pur- 
poses of  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  a  law  for  the 
government  of  the  Church,  and  that  human  creeds  and 
confessions  of  faith  spring  out  of  controvers}^,  and 
instead  of  being  bonds  of  union,  tend  to  division  and 
strife.  Bible  names  for  Bible  things.  Where  the 
Scriptures  speak,  we  speak;  where  the  Scriptures  are 
silent,  we  are  silent. 


18  Introductory 

3.  In  their  emphasis  upon  the  Divine  Sonship  of 
Jesus.  In  place  of  all  human  confessions  they  would 
exalt  that  of  Peter:  ''Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
the  living  God."  As  the  fundamental  fact  of  Holy 
Scripture,  as  the  central  truth  of  the  Christian  system, 
as  the  essential  creed  of  Christianity,  as  the  one  article 
of  faith  in  order  to  baptism  and  Church  membership,  as 
the  rock  truth  upon  which  the  Church  is  founded,  and 
the  ultimate  creed  of  the  universal  Church,  they  place 
this  statement  of  the  Divinity  and  Christhood  of  Jesus. 
''What  think  ye  of  Christ?"  the  great  question.  "Thou 
art  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,"  the  great 
answer,  "On  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church,"  the 
great  oracle. 

4.  In  their  division  of  the  Word.  They  believe, 
that  of  old,  "Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit,"  yet  do  not  regard  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments  as  of  equally  binding  authority 
upon  Christians.  "God,  who  at  sundry  times  and  in 
divers  manners,  spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by 
the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us 
by  His  Son."  A  clear  distinction  is  made  between  the 
law  and  the  gospel,  the  old  covenant  and  the  new,  and 
the  New  Testament,  it  is  claimed,  is  as  perfect  a  con- 
stitution for  the  worship,  government  and  discipline 
of  the  New  Testament  Church  as  the  Old  was  for  the 
Old  Testament  Church.  We  are  not  under  Moses, 
but  under  Christ. 

5.  In  the  plea  for  New  Testament  names  for  the 
Church  and  the  followers  of  Christ.  ''The  Disciples 
were  called  Christians  first  at  Antioch."     As  the  bride 


Introductory  19 

of  Christ  the  Church  should  wear  the  name  of  the  bride- 
groom. Party  names  perpetuate  party  strife.  Disci- 
ples of  Christ  have  been  charged  with  presumption  in 
calling  themselves  Christians  and  their  churches 
Christian  churches,  or  churches  of  Christ.  They  do 
not  deny  that  others  are  Christians,  or  that  other 
churches  are  churches  of  Christ.  They  do  not  claim 
to  be  the  Church  of  Christ,  or  even  a  Church  of  Christ . 
They  simply  desire  to  be  Christians  only,  and  their 
churches  to  be  only  churches  of  Christ.  Hence  they 
repudiate  the  name  '^Campbellite."  The  Church  will 
be  one  only  under  the  name  of  Christ.  In  all  the  world 
it  is  enough  to  be  a  Christian.  When  that  which  is 
perfect  is  come,  from  turret  to  foundation  stone  the 
work  of  sectarianism  shall  pass  away,  and  the  spotless 
bride  of  Christ  shall  wear  only  the  name  that  is  above 
every  name. 

6.  As  to  the  work  of  the  Holy  vSpirit  in  conversion. 
Accepting  the  Divine  personahty  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  holding  that  in  every  case  regeneration  is  begun, 
carried  on  and  perfected  through  His  gracious  agency, 
the  Disciples  claim  the  Divine  Word  is  his  instrument, 
the  sinner  is  in  no  sense  passive,  regeneration  is  riot  a 
miracle,  the  gospel  is  God's  power  unto  salvation  to 
ever}^  one  that  believeth,  and  men  must  hear,  believe, 
repent,  and  obey  the  gospel  to  be  saved. 

7.  As  to  Christian  baptism.  The  Disciples  have 
been  charged  with  making  a  hobby  of  this  institution — 
preaching  nothing  but  baptism  by  immersion,  baptism 
for  the  remission  of  sins.  This  was  only  incidental  to 
their   plea.     Recognizing   Christ   alone   as   King,   His 


20  Introductory 

Word  alone  as  authoritative  and  binding  upon  the 
conscience,  and  finding,  in  returning  to  the  order 
instituted  by  Him  through  the  Apostles,  baptism  com- 
manded in  order  to  the  remission  of  sins^  and  ad- 
ministered by  a  burial  with  Christ,  a  planting  in  the 
likeness  of  His  death,  they  take  it  up  as  one  of  the  items 
of  the  original,  divine  system  over  against  all  human 
systems.  They  never  taught  such  a  doctrine  as  baptis- 
mal regeneration.  ^'I  have  said  a  thousand  times," 
declared  Mr.  Campbell  in  debate  with  Rice,  ''that  if  a 
person  were  to  be  immersed  twice  seven  times  in  the 
Jordan  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  for  the  reception  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  it  would  avail  nothing  more  than 
wetting  the  face  of  a  babe,  unless  his  heart  is  changed 
hy  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God.^'  The  Disciples  simply 
insist  upon  the  purpose  of  baptism  as  set  forth  in  the 
divine  testimonies:  ''He  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tized shall  be  saved,"  "Repent  and  be  baptized  every 
one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission 
of  sins,  and  you  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit," 
"Arise  and  be  baptized  and  wash  away  your  sins, 
calling  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord."  They  would  give 
the  inspired  answers  to  the  question,  "Men  and  breth- 
ren, what  shall  we  do?"  They  would  demand  no  other 
prerequisite  to  baptism  than  the  confession  of  the 
faith  of  the  whole  heart  in  the  personal,  living  Christ. 
They  would  teach  the  believing  penitent  to  seek  through 
obedience  the  Divine  assurance  of  forgiveness,  and  in 
scriptural  surrender  to  the  authority  of  Christ,  and  not 
in  sensation  or  vision  or  special  revelations,  to  find 
evidence  of  acceptance  with  God. 


Introductory  21 

8.  As  to  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  Disciples  of  Christ 
hold  first  to  the  weekly  observance  of  this  holy  ordi- 
nance in  all  their  assemblies.  Of  the  Church  at  Troas 
we  read:  ''On  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the 
disciples  came  together  to  break  bread,  Paul  preached 
unto  them,"  and  following  this  Apostohc  model,  the 
Disciples  teach  that  the  Lord's  Supper  should  be 
celebrated  by  the  Lord's  people  on  every  Lord's  day; 
and  secondly,  they  emphasize  and  exalt  this  institu- 
tion, not  as  a  sacrament,  but  as  a  memorial  feast — an 
act  of  worship  in  which  all  Christians  may  unite,  and 
from  which  we  have  no  right  to  exclude  any  sincere 
follower  of  our  common  Lord. 

9.  As  to  the  Lord's  day.  This  with  the  Disciples 
is  not  the  Sabbath,  but  a  New  Testament  institution; 
not  the  day  set  apart  in  the  Decalogue,  but  the  Lord's 
day — the  pearl  of  days,  consecrated  by  apostolic 
example,  and  to  be  observed  in  joyous  and  loving 
remembrance  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

10.  As  to  the  Church.  The  Disciples  believe  that 
the  institution  built  by  Christ,  set  forth  by  the  Apostles 
on  Pentecost  under  the  special  guidance  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  established  upon  the  foundation  of  Apostles 
and  Prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  Chief 
Corner-stone — the  Church  of  Christ  is  a  Divine  institu- 
tion; that  sects  as  branches  of  the  Church  are  un- 
scriptural  and  unapostolic ;  and  that  the  sect  name  and 
sect  spirit  and  sect  life  should  in  every  case  give  place 
to  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  union  and  co-opera- 
tion that  distinguished  the  Church  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 


22  Introductory 

The  union  of  Christians,  then,  upon  the  original 
foundation  is  the  plea  of  this  people.  They  believe 
that  as  in  the  primitive  days  there  was  one  spiritual 
brotherhood,  one  body,  with  one  Lord,  one  faith  and 
one  baptism,  there  should  be  but  one  to-day ;  and  that 
as  nothing  was  the  basis  of  that  primitive  union  but 
the  common  teaching  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles,  so 
nothing  is  essential  to  the  union  of  Christians  to-day 
but  the  Apostles'  teaching,  and  nothing  essential  to 
the  conversion  of  the  w-orld  but  such  a  union  and  co- 
operation of  the  people  of  God. 

In  making  this  plea  before  the  world,  how'ever,  the 
Disciples  contend,  not  for  unity  of  opinion,  but  unity 
of  faith.  They  recognize  that  this  question  is  to  be 
approached  in  the  spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  not  in  the 
spirit  of  dogmatism  or  strife;  that  no  process  of  com- 
pulsion can  ever  bring  unity;  that  no  party  can  ever 
effect  it  by  lifting  up  its  standard  and  saying,  "We  are 
the  people;"  that  no  union  will  ever  stand  that  is  not 
Christian;  that  no  plan  of  union  can  ever  succeed  that 
does  not  respect  every  man's  liberty  in  Christ  Jesus; 
that  no  spirit  can  ever  commend  itself  as  the  spirit 
of  unity  that  does  not  take  in  all  believers,  and  is  not 
as  broadly  catholic  as  the  Spirit  of  the  Master  on  His 
knees,  serving  as  the  High  Priest  of  all  the  race. 
"Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also 
which  shall  beUeve  on  me  through  their  word ;  that  they 
all  may  be  one,  as  thou  Father  art  in  me  and  I  in  Thee, 
that  they  may  be  one  in  us,  that  the  world  may  be- 
peve  that  Thou  hast  sent  me." 


Introductory  23 

Alexander  Campbell  died  March  4,  1866.  Since 
then  the  Disciples  of  Christ  have  made  their  greatest 
progress.  It  was  predicted  when  he  passed  away  the 
movement  would  disintegrate,  and  be  numbered  among 
the  things  of  the  past,  seeing  that  no  church  could  live 
without  a  formulated  human  creed.  More  rapid  and 
stable  than  ever  before,  however,  the  work  has  been. 
The  first  churches  w^ere  those  of  Brush  Run  and 
Wellsburg,  with  less  than  sixty  members,  and  men  are 
living  to-day  who  joined  this  movement  when  there 
were  but  a  few  thousand  identified  with  it.  Accord- 
ing to  statistical  tables,  in  1903  there  were  10,983 
churches  and  1,220,000  members,  with  a  church  prop- 
erty of  over  twenty  millions,  and  the  increase  in  num- 
bers is  over  8  per  cent,  a  year  for  the  last  ten  years. 

The  Disciples  take  large  interest  in  the  cause  of 
education.  They  are  a  strong  temperance  people. 
In  Christian  Endeavor  they  rank  third  among  the 
Protestant  churches.  Most  hopeful,  however,  is  the 
outlook  among  them  in  the  work  of  missions  and 
benevolence.  Their  Home  Missionary  Society  was 
organized  in  1849,  and  employs  workers  in  thirty-seven 
States  and  Territories.  At  its  Jubilee  in  Cincinnati, 
October,  1899,  over  15,000  delegates  were  in  attend- 
ance, and  its  great  communion  service  was  most  mem- 
orable. Their  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  organized 
in  1875,  is  doing  work  in  twelve  different  foreign  lands, 
among  them  our  new  insular  possessions.  The  Chris- 
tian Woman's  Board  of  Missions,  organized  and  con- 
ducted exclusively  by  the  women  of  the  Church,  has 
accompHshed  a  notable  service  in  both  the  home  and 


24  Introductory 

foreign  fields  in  its  quarter  of  a  century.  The  Church 
Extension  Fund  of  the  Disciples  in  fifteen  years  has 
accumulated  half  a  million  and  aided  over  800  churches. 
Their  gifts  to  missions  the  past  year  will  aggregate 
$700,000.  They  also  have  a  Board  of  Ministerial 
Relief  and  a  General  Benevolent  Association,  and  are 
multiplying  their  gifts  to  purposes  of  charity  and 
educational  work.  They  have  missionary  societies  in 
almost  every  State,  publish  fifty-five  journals  of 
various  kinds  in  the  interests  of  the  Church,  have  a 
growing  literature,  and  an  increasing  spirit  of  benevo- 
lence and  appreciation  of  the  great  obligations  of 
stewardship  that  promises  much  for  the  work  of  future 
years. 

These  are  some  of  the  direct  results  of  this  nineteenth 
century  American  religious  movement.  We  would  not 
speak  of  them  boastingly.  We  might  have  done  far 
more.  We  are  just  beginning  to  rise  to  the  great 
height  of  our  responsibility  before  the  world.  We  are 
humbled  at  the  thought  of  our  un worthiness.  We  are 
hushed  at  the  vision  of  what  is  yet  to  be  done. 

Great  changes  have  been  wrought  in  the  religious 
world  since  this  plea  was  introduced.  Old  doctrines 
have  shifted.  Strongholds  of  error  have  surrendered 
to  the  onward  sweep  of  Christian  thought.  Creed 
authority  is  no  longer  paramount.  Assent  to  a  human 
system  of  opinion  is  not  essential  as  once  to  admittance 
to  the  churches.  Men  and  women  who  believe  on 
Jesus  Christ  and  obey  him  are  received  on  their  faith, 
repentance  and  submission  to  his  authority.  Sinners, 
in  manv  churches,  are  invited  to  come  forward  and 


Introductory  25 

confess  Christ  simply.  The  Bible  is  the  great  book. 
The  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  Dreams, 
visions,  sensations,  are  not  relied  upon,  but  the  Divine 
testimony.  Vices  of  sectarianism  are  deplored;  the 
union  sentiment  has  grown,  and  union  movements 
like  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  Woman's 
Christian  Temperance  Union,  Young  People's  Society 
of  Christian  Endeavor,  International  Sunday-school 
Lessons,  Alliances,  Federation  and  Missionary  Con- 
ferences have  cultivated  the  spirit  of  mutual  forbear- 
ance and  co-operation  among  God's  people.  The  creed 
of  Christianity — the  great  central  truth  of  the  Messiah- 
ship  and  Sonship  of  Jesus — faith  in  Him  as  a  Divine 
person  over  against  faith  in  the  decrees  of  councils, 
obedience  to  Him  as  King  and  Lord  instead  of  obedi- 
ence to  human  authority,  trust  in  Him  and  love  toward 
Him,  and  loyalty  to  Him  as  the  great  bond  of  fellow- 
ship among  all  the  people  of  God,  we  see  recognized 
more  and  more  in  all  lands.  There  has  been  a  mighty 
advance.  To  say  that  the  Campbells  and  their  co- 
laborers  have  contributed  toward  these  ends  is  simple 
justice  to  the  truth  of  history.  It  is  the  Lord's  work. 
If  the  Disciples  have  helped  in  it,  they  are  glad.  So 
the  work  is  done,  it  matters  not  who  does  it.  God 
speed  the  day  when  all  who  love  Jesus  Christ  will 
stand  together,  confessing  one  Lord,  proclaiming  one 
faith,  practicing  one  baptism,  united  in  one  bod}^, 
filled  with  one  Spirit,  inspired  with  one  hope,  serving 
one  God  and  Father  over  all. 

To   a   united   Church   was   the   grace   of   Pentecost 
given.     By  a  united  Church  was  the  Roman  Empire 


26  Introductory 

in  three  centuries  brought  to  the  foot  of  the  cross. 
Through  the  united  service  of  his  people,  Christ  means 
to  make  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  his  kingdom.  A 
single  drop  of  water  is  a  weak  and  powerless  thing,  but 
an  infinite  number  of  drops,  united  by  the  force  of 
attraction,  form  a  stream,  and  many  streams  combined 
form  a  river,  and  many  rivers  pour  their  water  into  the 
mighty  ocean,  whose  proud  waves,  defying  the  power 
of  man,  none  can  stay  save  the  Almight3\  So  resist- 
less would  be  the  power  of  God's  people  thus  consoli- 
dated and  hurled  against  sin.  Patience!  There  is  a 
legend  that  when  Adam  and  Eve  were  turned  out  of 
Eden,  an  angel  smashed  the  gates,  and  the  fragments, 
flying  all  over  the  earth,  are  the  precious  stones. 
Patience!  In  God's  good  time  we  shall  fit  our  frag- 
ments together,  and  reconstruct  the  gates  of  Paradise. 


THE  PLEA  AND  THE  PIONEERS 
IN  VIRGINIA 


PART  T. 
HISTORICAL   SKETCH 


THE  PLEA  AND  THE  PIOI^EERS 
IN  VIRGINIA 


HISTORICAL    SKETCH. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THP]  DAWX  OF  THE  REFORMATION. 

That  religious  awakening  to  the  lack  of  authority  in 
God's  Word  for  the  religious  practices  of  the  day  which 
preceded  by  several  years  the  inauguration  of  the  cur- 
rent reformation,  and  found  expression  in  England 
and  Scotland  through  the  efforts  of  John  Glas,  Robert 
Sandeman  and  the  Haldanes,  was  also  early  felt  in  Vir- 
ginia. In  1771,  at  a  meeting  of  Meherrin  Baptist 
Church  in  Lunenburg  county,  one  Jeremiah  Walker 
endeavored  to  introduce  the  Philadelphia  Confession 
for  adoption  by  that  congregation.  This  confession  of 
faith  had  been  generally  adopted  by  Baptist  congrega- 
tions throughout  the  State  and  country.  In  this  con- 
gregation was  a  young  man,  James  Shelburne,  who  had 
already  attracted  some  attention  as  a  fearless  speaker. 
When  Walker's  proposition  was  made  he  arose  and  op- 
posed the  adoption  of  any  human  creed,  maintaining 
that  the  Scriptures  were  a  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and 
practice.     This,  considered  in  the  light  of  the  times, 


30  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

was  an  advanced  position  to  take,  and  had  it  been  fol- 
lowed to  its  logical  conclusion,  must  have  resulted  in 
a  reformation  similar  to  the  one  inaugurated  by  the 
Campbells  nearly  fifty  years  later.  James  Shelburne 
became  a  prominent  Baptist  preacher,  and  throughout 
his  life  earnestly  advocated  the  abolishment  of  all  ec- 
clesiastical authority  save  that  of  God's  Word.  He 
stood  on  ground  in  advance  of  that  taken  by  his  breth- 
ren, but  he  never  lived  to  see  the  light  of  the  reforma- 
tion dawn  in  the  Old  Dominion. 

It  was  the  publication  of  the  Christian  Baptist,  a 
monthly  religious  journal  started  by  Mr.  Campbell  in 
1823,  that  first  demonstrated  to  religious  professors 
and  teachers  in  Eastern  Virginia  the  need  of  a  thorough 
restitution  of  the  primitive  Apostolic  Christianity. 
This  publication  soon  gained  a  widespread  circulation 
throughout  the  whole  country,  but  nowhere  was  its 
effect  more  marked  than  in  Eastern  ^'irginia.  From 
its  early  settlement  Virginia  was  more  advanced  in 
education  and  culture,  and,  o^^dng  to  slave  labor,  there 
was  more  time  for  reading  and  discussing  such  period- 
icals than  was  at  the  disposal  of  those  in  more  recentl}^ 
settled  communities. 

As  Mr.  Campbell  was  at  that  time  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church  at  Wellsburg,  Virginia  (now  West 
Virginia),  which  was  in  full  fellowship  with  the 
Mahoning  Association,  the  restoration  took  for  a  time 
the  form  of  a  reformation  in  the  ranks  of  the  Baptists. 
This  denomination  was  peculiarly  fitted  to  receive  and 
adopt  the  principles  of  the  restoration,  inasmuch  as 
they  alone,  of  the  existing  denominations,  adhered  to 


The  Dawn  of  the  Reformation  31 

the  Scriptural  practice  of  immersion  as  the  only  valid 
baptism.  Their  church  government  also,  being  con- 
gregational in  form,  was  such  that  each  congregation 
could  decide  for  itself  on  the  necessity  and  merits  of 
the  reformation  without  being  hampered  by  the  laws 
and  edicts  of  ecclesiastical  authority.  When  Mr. 
Campbell  united  with  the  Wellsburg  congregation  it 
was  with  the  understanding  that  nothing  should  be 
required  of  himself  or  his  colleagues  but  for  which  a 
''Thus  saith  the  Lord"  could  be  found.  It  is  a  signifi- 
cant fact  that  in  process  of  time  all  but  three  congrega- 
tions in  the  Mahoning  Association  laid  aside  all  their 
distinctive  Baptist  views  and  became  congregations  of 
Christians  only,  wearing  no  other  name  and  holding  to 
no  other  tenets  than  those  clearly  set  forth  in  the  New 
Testament  as  adhered  to  by  the  early  Church  of  Christ. 

As  the  principles  set  forth  in  the  Christian  Baptist 
were  disseminated  throughout  Eastern  Virginia  many 
individuals  began  to  accept  and  teach  them  to  others. 
In  some  cases  a  majority  of  members  of  a  congregation 
became  allied  with  the  restoration  movement,  but  on 
no  occasion  to  our  knowledge  did  they  ever  attempt 
the  formation  of  a  distinct  religious  body.  They  were 
content  to  remain  in  fellowship  with  the  congregations 
of  which  they  were  members  so  long  as  their  religious 
liberties  were  not  infringed.  Often,  however,  indi- 
viduals and  sometimes  a  majority  of  some  congregation 
were  forced  to  sever  their  connection  with  their  breth- 
ren because  of  the  religious  intolerance  of  the  latter. 

The  first  congregation  in  Eastern  Virginia  owing  its 
existence  to  the  movement  for  the  restoration  of  New 


32  The  Pica  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Testament  Christianity  was  formed  in  the  lower  part 
of  Louisa  county  in  1826.  Elders  James  M.  Bagby 
and  N.  H.  Turner  were  forced  by  their  Baptist  brethren 
to  take  letters  of  dismission  from  the  Old  Fork  congre- 
gation, of  which  they  were  members.  They  soon 
gathered  about  them  a  small  band  of  devoted  follow- 
ers of  the  Lord  and  built  a  meeting-house  about  two 
miles  from  what  is  now  Bumpass  Station,  calling  it 
Bethany.  The  present  Bethany  meeting-house  is 
about  three  miles  from  the  original  site. 

The  teaching  of  Bro.  Bagby  worked  like  leaven 
throughout  the  community.  Uriah  Higgason,  a  tal- 
ented young  man  living  in  an  adjacent  county,  soon 
adopted  the  views  of  the  reformers,  but,  not  being  mo- 
lested for  a  time,  remained  in  full  fellowship  with  his 
Baptist  brethren.  At  the  Goshen  Association's  an- 
nual meeting  held  at  County  Line  meeting-house,  be- 
tween Caroline  and  Spotts3dvania  counties,  in  1828, 
the  propriety  of  the  General  Association  was  called  in 
question.  The  basis  of  representation  of  the  General 
Associations  in  the  Southern  Missionary  Conference  of 
the  Baptists  is  the  amount  of  money  contributed  yearly 
to  missionary  work.  Bro.  Higgason  asserted  that  this 
was  an  unlawful  amalgamation  of  the  Church  and  the 
world.  Although  the  ''popular"  cause  was  repre- 
sented by  three  well-known  Baptist  preachers,  J.  Fife, 
Luther  Rice,  and  John  Billingsly,  so  ardent  was  the 
desire  to  lay  aside  everything  that  savored  of  human 
institutions  that  Bro.  Higgason  carried  his  point  by  a 
large  majority,  and  the  union  between  the  Goshen  As- 
sociation and  the  General  Association  was  dissolved. 


The  Dawn  of  the  Reformation  33 

In  the  summer  of  1826  a  Baptist  preacher  travehng 
under  the  auspices  of  a  female  missionary  society  in 
Richmond,  Virginia,  when  near  Natural  Bridge, 
chanced  to  obtain  a  few  numbers  of  the  Christian  Bap- 
tist and  a  copy  of  the  ''Campbell  and  McCalla  Debate 
on  Baptism."  These  he  read  with  much  surprise  at 
the  views  presented.  On  first  reading  them  he  re- 
solved to  attempt  a  refutation  of  the  principles  so 
seemingly  unorthodox,  but  after  a  careful  examination 
he  found  himself  unable  to  refute  or  even  deny  the 
Scripturalness  of  the  arguments.  This  was  Francis 
Whitefield  Emmons,  who  was  born  at  Clarendon,  Ver- 
mont, 1802,  and  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  at 
Swanton  at  the  age  of  fourteen.  After  a  good  pre- 
paratory education  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the 
Baptist  Church  at  Hamilton.  After  completing  a  three 
3"ears'  course  in  the  literary  and  theological  seminary 
at  Hamilton  he  entered  Columbian  College,  D.  C,  in 
1824.  While  there  he  edited  for  a  time  the  Columbian 
Star.  After  his  missionary  work  in  Virginia  before 
mentioned,  he  entered  Brown  University,  Providence, 
R.  L,  where  he  graduated.  While  there  he  became 
more  and  more  impressed  with  the  need  of  such  a 
reformation  as  that  urged  by  Mr.  Campbell,  and  or- 
dered three  complete  sets  of  the  Christian.  Baptist, 
together  with  the  debates  and  copies  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, then  but  recently  published  by  Mr.  Campbell. 
One  set  of  these  works  was  taken  by  Bro.  W.  W.  Ash- 
ley, of  Eastport,  Maine,  who,  after  reading  them, 
preached  and  taught  the  principles  of  the  reformation 
through  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick.     Several 


34  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

preachers  were  convinced  through  his  instrumentality 
and  churches  were  estabhshed  according  to  the  primi- 
tive order.  One  of  the  remaining  sets  of  the  same 
pubUcations  was  sent  by  Mr.  Emmons  to  Jonathan 
Wade,  missionary  to  Burmah,  and  was  read  by  him 
and  the  other  missionaries  there  with  profit.  E.  Kin- 
caid,  upon  his  return  to  the  United  States  some  years 
later,  assured  Mr.  Emmons  'Hhat  he  had  been  much 
interested  in  the  reading,  that  the  work  had  helped 
him  much,  and  by  directing  him  to  the  living  Word 
had  enabled  him  to  preach  to  the  Karens  the  ancient 
Gospel  better  than  he  otherwise  would  have  done." 
Mr.  Emmons  w^as  an  extensive  traveler,  and  every- 
where he  went  he  planted  the  seed  of  the  reformation. 
He  became  a  regular  correspondent  of  the  Millennial 
Harbinger,  and  his  letters  were  full  of  interest. 


CHAPTER  11. 

THE  CAMPBELL  AXD  SEMPLE  CON'TROVERSY. 

In  the  summer  of  1825  Alexander  Campbell  visited 
Eastern  Virginia  as  a  Baptist  minister  and  preached 
the  doctrine  of  the  restoration  in  a  number  of  Baptist 
Churches  in  that  section.  He  was  well  received;  the 
people  flocked  to  hear  this  new  reformer  and  his  views. 
They  began  to  study  the  Scriptures  with  greater  ear- 
nestness, and  many  saw  the  necessity  for  the  restora- 
tion and  allied  themselves  with  its  adherents.  The 
more  intelligent  and  advanced  thinkers  had  profited 
by  careful  reading  of  the  Christian  Baptist,  then  in  its 
third  year,  and  were  therefore  better  prepared  to  un- 
derstand the  position  taken  by  its  editor.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell formed  numerous  acquaintances  among  the  Bap- 
tist ministry,  of  whom  Robert  B.  Semple  and  Andrew 
Broaddus  deserve  more  than  passing  notice,  as  they 
were  leaders  in  their  denomination. 

Robert  Semple  was  born  of  Episcopal  parents  and 
early  studied  law.  While  trying  to  convince  a  farmer 
of  his  acquaintance  of  the  errors  of  the  Baptists,  he 
found  himself  outgeneraled,  and  immediately  set  to 
work  to  study  the  Scriptures  anew  in  order  to  meet  the 
arguments  of  his  opponent.  In  the  course  of  this  study 
he  saw  the  unscripturalness  of  affusion  and  soon  after- 
ward united  with  the  Baptist  Church.  In  less  than  a 
year  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  Bruington  Church, 
and  was  there  ordained  to  the  ministrv.     It  was  while 


36  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

attending  the  Dover  Association  at  Upper  Essex  Bap- 
tist Church,  in  Essex  county,  that  Bro.  Campbell  met 
Robert  Semple.  Semple  saw  in  Campbell  a  man  of 
great  talent,  and  resolved  to  try  and  win  the  reformer 
over  to  the  established  customs  and  usages  of  the 
Baptists.  To  that  end,  before  they  parted,  Bishop 
Semple  promised  soon  to  begin  a  letter  in  the  Christian 
Baptist  for  the  purpose  of  reconciling  their  differences 
of  opinion.  In  December  of  the  same  year  Bishop 
Semple  wrote  a  letter  to  that  periodical,  in  which  he 
begins  by  comparing  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Campbell, 
on  his  late  visit  to  Eastern  Virginia,  to  that  of  the  elo- 
quent Apollos,  who  was  also  ''mighty  in  the  Scrip- 
tures," and  inasmuch  as  Apollos  had  been  taught  the 
way  of  God  more  perfectly,  and  that,  too,  by  a  me- 
chanic and  his  wife,  might  not  he,  Semple,  "though 
inferior  to  Aquila,  attempt  a  reformation  in  prin- 
ciple of  one  not  only  eloquent  and  mighty  in  the 
Scriptures,  but  -deeply  learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the 
Greeks  and  Romans."  In  the  letter  that  follows  this 
introduction  Bishop  Semple  characterizes  Mr.  Camp- 
bell as  substantially  a  Sandemanian  or  Haldanian  in 
his  views,  and,  like  these  sects,  lacking  in  Christian  for- 
bearance. ''Among  the  Haldanians,"  said  he  "(judg- 
ing from  writings),  a  gentle  spirit  is  rarely  to  be  found. 
Harsh  and  bitter  sarcasms  are  the  weapons  with  which 
they  fight  their  opponents.  This,  too,  I  am  the  more 
disposed  to  think,  applies  to  them  as  a  sect,  because  I 
have  known  some  of  their  party  who  have  appeared,  in 
private  conversation,  to  be  mild  and  gentle  indeed,  and 
ever}^  way  pleasant ;  but  when  brought  out  in  writing 


The  Campbell  and  Semple  Controversy  37 

or  public  speaking,  seemed  to  have  another  kind  of 
temper.  If  you  will  bear  with  me,  I  will  suggest  that 
this  seems  to  be  the  case  with  the  editor  of  the  Christian 
Baptist.  As  a  man,  in  private  circles,  mild,  pleasant 
and  affectionate;  as  a  writer,  rigid  and  satirical,  be- 
yond all  the  bounds  of  Scripture  allowance." 

Bishop  Semple  was  of  a  kind,  lovable  disposition,  and 
the  bold,  non-compromising  stand  on  the  Word  of  God 
taken  by  Mr.  Campbell,  involving  much  controversy, 
seemed  to  him  to  cultivate  an  unchristian  spirit  in 
the  reformers. 

In  his  reply,  Mr.  Campbell  thanked  the  Bishop  for 
his  admonition  and  promised  to  profit  by  it.  Continu- 
ing, he  disposed  of  each  of  the  objections  offered,  in  a 
kind  but  firm  manner.  Referring  to  the  charge  of 
Sandemanianism,  he  said:  "I  have  not,  myself,  ever 
read  all  the  works  of  those  men,  but  I  have  read  more 
of  them  than  I  approve,  and  more  of  them  than  they 
who  impute  to  me  their  opinions  as  heresy."  Again 
he  said:  ''I  appropriated  one  winter  season  for  ex- 
amining this  subject.  I  assembled  all  the  leading 
writers  of  that  day  on  these  subjects.  I  laid  be- 
fore me  Robert  Sandeman,  Harvey,  Marshall,  Bel- 
lamy, Glas,  Cudworth,  and  others  of  minor  fame  in  this 
controversy.  I  not  only  read  but  studied  and  wrote 
off  in  miniature  their  respective  views.  I  had  Paul 
and  Peter,  James  and  John,  on  the  same  table.  I  took 
nothing  upon  trust.  I  did  not  care  for  the  authority, 
reputation,  or  standing  of  one  of  the  systems,  a  grain 
of  sand.  I  never  weighed  the  consequences  of  em- 
bracing any  one  of  the  systems  as  affecting  my  standing 


38  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

or  reputation  in  the  world.  Truth  (not  who  says  so) 
was  my  sole  object.  I  found  much  entertainment 
in  the  investigation,  and  I  will  not  blush,  nor  do  I  fear 
to  say  that,  in  this  controversy,  Sandeman  was  like  a 
giant  among  dwarfs.  He  was  Uke  Samson  with  the 
gates  and  posts  of  Gaza  on  his  shoulders.  I  was  most 
prejudiced  against  him  and  the  most  in  favor  of  Har- 
vey when  I  commenced  this  course  of  reading.  Yet, 
I  now  believe  that  not  one  of  them  was  exactly  on  the 
track  of  the  Apostles.  I  have  also  read  Fuller's  ''Stric- 
tures on  Sandemanianism, "  which  I  suppose  to  be  the 
medium  of  most  of  the  information  possessed  on  that 
subject  in  this  country.  This  is  the  poorest  perform- 
ance Andrew  Fuller  ever  gave  to  the  world." 

Continuing  the  same  thought,  he  said:  ''I  candidly 
and  unequivocally  avow  that  I  do  not  believe  that  any 
one  of  them  had  clear  and  consistent  views  of  the 
Christian  religion  as  a  whole.  Some  of  them,  no  doubt, 
had  clear  and  correct  views  of  some  of  its  truths,  nay, 
many  of  them,  but  they  were  impeded  in  their  inqui- 
ries by  a  false  philosophy  and  metaphysics,  which  fet- 
tered their  own  understanding  in  some  of  the  plainest 
things.  For  instance,  with  the  exception  of  Fuller 
and  McLean,  they  all  contended  for  the  popish  rite  of 
baby  baptism  or  sprinlding. "  In  regard  to  the  lack 
of  forbearance  of  the  above  sects  alluded  to  in  Bishop 
Semple's  letter,  Mr.  Campbell  wrote:  ''You  seem  to 
think  they  are  defective  in  forbearance.  This  may  be 
still  true  for  anything  I  know;  but  one  thing  I  do  know, 
that  several  congregations  in  this  connection  are  far 
more  forbearing  than  the  Baptists  in  Virginia ;  for  sev- 


The  Campbell  and  Semple  Controversy  39 

eral  of  them  receive  unbaptized  persons  to  the  Lord's 
table  on  the  ground  of  forbearance.  I  know  that  we 
all  use  this  term,  forbearance,  in  a  very  unwarrantable 
sense,  and  that  it  is  difficult  to  find  a  term  every  way 
appropriate  to  communicate  correct  ideas  on  this  sub- 
ject. To  bear  with,  or  allow  a  brother  to  exercise  his 
own  judgment,  is  no  doubt  all  that  you  intend  by  this 
term,  and  this  is  certainly  inculcated  in  the  Apostolic 
writings.  And  I  am  willing  to  carry  this  principle  to  its 
greatest  possible  extent,  though,  as  you  say,  there  is 
and  must  be  a  stopping  place.  So  long  as  any  man, 
woman,  or  child  declares  his  confidence  in  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  as  God's  own  Son,  that  he  was  delivered  for 
our  offences,  and  raised  again  for  our  justification;  or, 
in  other  words,  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  the  Savior  of 
man;  and  so  long  as  he  exhibits  a  willingness  to  obey 
Him  in  all  things  according  to  his  knowledge,  so  long 
will  I  receive  him  as  a  Christian  brother  and  treat  him 
as  such."  In  these  last  words  is  set  forth  the  founda- 
tion of  the  restoration;  in  faith,  unity;  in  opinions, 
liberty.  Mr.  Campbell  stood  on  the  only  safe  ground, 
that  nothing  but  belief  in  the  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  and 
obedience  to  him,  could  constitute  one  a  Christian. 
The  Bible  furnished  the  evidence  to  be  believed  and 
man  had  the  will-power  to  obey. 

In  July  of  the  year  1826,  following  this  exchange  of 
ideas  wdth  Bishop  Semple,  Mr.  Campbell  received  a 
letter  for  publication  from  Andrew  Broaddus  under 
the  nom  de  plume  '^PauUnus."  Mr.  Broaddus  had 
been  for  some  time  a   regular  reader  of  the  Christian 


40  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Baptist,  and  now,  having  made  the  personal  acquaint- 
ance of  the  editor,  on  Mr.  Campbell's  Virginia  tour,  he 
writes  a  very  interesting  letter,  in  which  he  says:  "I 
find  much  to  approve,  something  to  doubt,  and  some- 
thing, too,  from  which  I  must  dissent.  Possibly,  how- 
ever, my  dissension  may  be  owing  (in  part  at  least)  to 
the  want  of  a  full  and  correct  understanding  of  your 
sentiments.  I  said,  'much  to  approve';  I  might  use 
a  stronger  term  and  say,  'much  to  admire.'  With 
several  of  your  essays,  I  have  been  not  only  pleased, 
but  delighted.  Many  of  your  remarks,  too,  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  errors  and  foUies  too  prevalent  in  the  re- 
ligious world,  meet  my  own  views  and  receive  my  warm 
and  hearty  commendation.  In  a  word,  I  am  greatly 
pleased  with  what  appears  to  be  your  drift  and  aim, 
viz.,  to  clear  the  religion  of  Jesus  of  all  the  adventitious 
lumber  with  which  it  has  been  encumbered  and  bring 
back  the  Christian  Church  to  its  primitive  simplicity 
and  beaut}^" 

Mr.  Broaddus  then  proceeded  to  endorse  the  views 
of  Mr.  Campbell  in  the  following  particulars :  The  pre- 
cedence of  the  Christian  dispensation  over  the  Jewish; 
the  necessity  of  opposition  to  all  creeds  as  standards  of 
faith ;  and  the  need  of  reformation  in  the  Baptist  Church 
even,  in  a  measure,  to  the  restoration  of  the  ''ancient 
order  of  things. "  On  the  subject  of  spiritual  regenera- 
tion, however,  he  clung  to  the  theory  as  set  forth  by 
the  Baptists.  His  statement  of  this  position  in  his 
letter  appears  in  a  somewhat  modified  form,  but  when 
thoroughly  sifted,  it  varied  nothing  from  the  popular 
theory  then  extant.     He  called  upon  ^Ir.  Campbell  to 


The  Campbell  and  Semple  Controversy  41 

make  clear  his  standing  upon  this  question,  as  he, 
PauHnus,  believed  the  editor  of  the  Christian  Baptist 
to  have  been  very  much  misrepresented. 

In  his  answer  Mr.  Campbell  made  the  following 
statements  relative  to  his  position:  "Were  it  not  for 
the  pernicious  influence  of  the  theories  afloat  on  this 
subject,  I  would  assert  my  concurrence  in  opinion  with 
you.  This  may  appear  a  strange  saying,  but  it  is  in 
accord  with  the  genius  of  this  work.  I  am  determined, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  not  to  abandon  the  stand  I  have 
taken.  I  will  lay  down  no  new  theories  in  religion, 
contend  for  no  old  theories,  nor  aid  any  theories  now  in 
existence.  For  why?  Because  no  theory  is  the  Gos- 
pel of  Jesus  the  Messiah.  Nor  can  the  preaching  or 
teaching  of  any  theory  be  the  preaching  or  teaching 
of  the  Gospel.  And,  please  mark  it  well,  no  man  can 
he  saved  by  the  belief  of  any  theory,  time  or  false;  no  man 
will  be  damned  for  the  disbelief  of  any  theory. ^^  Continu- 
ing, he  wrote:  "Whatever  the  Scriptures  say,  I  say. 
The  only  question  with  me  is  to  understand  each  sen- 
tence in  the  light  of  its  context.  And  I  will  not  refrain 
from  any  inquirer  my  views  of  any  passage  without 
either  theorizing  or  dogmatizing.  To  make  new  the- 
ories is  the  ivay  to  make  new  divisions;  to  contend  for 
the  old  is  to  keep  up  the  old  divisions;  either  of  which 
would  be  in  direct  opposition  to  the  decisions  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.'' 

Mr.  Campbell  had  early  seen  the  tendency  to  specu- 
late on  religious  matters,  and  he  believed  that  the  si- 
lence of  the  Bible  was  as  much  to  be  respected  as  its 
most  positive  declarations.     It  contained  the  Gospel, 


42  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

and  that  was  sufficient  to  save  the  worlds  if  strictly 
adhered  to.  Our  part  was  plainly  told,  and  if  God  saw 
fit  not  to  reveal  all  of  his  own  methods  and  ways 
of  working,  then  it  did  not  become  us  to  theorize  on 
the  subject,  much  less  to  bind  our  theories  on  the  necks 
of  others.  He  resolved,  therefore,  to  be  content  with 
the  plain  declarations  of  the  Word,  and  would  make  no 
statement  beyond  it.  He  neither  doubted,  denied, 
nor  affirmed  the  direct  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
conversion.  The  commandment  for  man  was,  ''Re- 
pent and  be  baptized  every  one  of  3^ou  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  you  shall  re- 
ceive the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit;''  hence,  he  could  only 
reiterate  God's  promise  of  his  Spirit  to  penitent, 
obedient  believers  in  Christ.  To  any  who  might  infer 
from  anything  he  said  against  these  theories  that  he 
contended  for  a  religion  without  the  beneficent  offices 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  wrote:  ''All  whom  I  baptize,  I 
baptize  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  I  pray  for  the  love  of  the  Father, 
the  grace  of  the  Son,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  remain  with  all  saints.  A  religion  of  which 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  the  author,  the  subject-matter, 
and  the  perfecter,  is  sheer  Deism." 

Mr.  Campbell's  answer  to  Paulinus  caused  a  great 
deal  of  excitement  in  religious  circles  in  Eastern  Vir- 
ginia. Some  boldly  took  their  stand  with  the  great 
reformer,  the  clergy  hugged  the  more  closely  their  pet 
theories  on  spiritual  regeneration  and  endeavored  to 
force  him  to  the  advocacy  of  some  theory  of  spiritual 
operations,  either  old  or  new,  but  their  efforts  were  in 


The  Campbell  and  Semple  Controversy  43 

vain.  He  was  misrepresented  as  denying  the  office  and 
even  the  existence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  his  silence 
was  as  grossly  misinterpreted  as  was  the  silence  of  the 
Bible.  More  was  laid  to  his  charge  for  what  he  would 
not  say  than  for  anything  he  did  say. 

Mr.  Broaddus  again  wrote  a  very  kind,  Christian  let- 
ter, in  which  he  expressed  his  sorrow  that  Mr.  Camp- 
bell had  not  given  a  more  direct  answer,  and  doubted 
the  necessity  of  being  so  ''tremblingly  alive  to  the  dan- 
ger of  theory  and  system  as  to  avoid  the  direct  ex- 
pression of  a  sentiment  on  any  proposed  subject  in  re- 
ligion." 

Mr.  Campbell  replied  by  stating  his  willingness  to 
answer  any  question  on  the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  but 
he  stated  that  religious  subjects  were  of  two  kinds:  one, 
on  which  the  Bible  had  nothing  to  say,  and  the  other  on 
which  there  was  teaching  in  that  sacred  book.  But,  he 
added,  ''I  am  governed  more  in  speaking  upon  this  sub- 
ject by  the  following  than  by  all  other  considerations: 
The  Apostles  preached  Christ  and  riot  the  Holy  Spirit;  or 
rather,  they  preached  the  Holy  Spirit  when  they 
preached  Christ.  So  the  Savior  instructed  and  com- 
manded them.  They  preach  the  Spirit  with  most  suc- 
cess who  say  nothing  about  His  work  in  conversion. 
So  did  the  Apostles.  In  all  the  sermons  pronounced 
by  the  Apostles  to  unregenerate  persons,  of  which  we 
have  so  many  samples  in  the  Acts  of  Apostles,  they 
never  once  spoke  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in  conversion. 
Not  one  example  in  all  the  volume,  not  one  model  of  the 
discourses  we  ever}^  day  hear  about  the  work  of  the 
Spirit.     The  Apostles  remembered  that  the  Spirit  was 


44  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

not  to  speak  of  Himself,  His  own  office  and  work,  but 
of  Christ.  Their  good  news,  therefore,  was  about  Christ 
crucified." 

Following  the  correspondence  between  A.  Campbell 
and  Mr.  Broaddus,  the  latter  had  several  interviews 
with  Bishop  Semple,  who  thought  him  too  dangerously 
near  the  views  of  the  reformers.  Mr.  Broaddus  stood 
with  Mr.  Campbell  in  opposition  to  creeds,  but  in  his 
conversation  with  Mr.  Semple  he  admitted  that  he 
could  see  nothing  improper  in  a  written  declaration  or 
explanation  of  our  rehgious  sentiments.  In  this  Mr. 
Broaddus  conceded  nothing  more  than  any  of  those 
more  intimately  connected  with  the  reformation  would 
have  clone.  In  regard  to  the  nullification  of  the  law  b}' 
the  Gospel,  Mr.  Broaddus  also  stood  on  the  ground 
taken  by  the  reformers,  and  in  their  friendly  inter- 
views Bishop  Semple  maintained  the  ''perpetual  ob- 
ligation of  Old  Testament  injunctions  only  in  so  far  as 
they  were  of  a  moral  nature,"  while  Mr.  Broaddus  ac- 
knowledged that  all  such  injunctions  were  sanctioned  in 
the  New  Testament.  Thus,  we  see,  they  occupied 
about  the  same  ground  in  principle,  if  not  in  practice. 
By  some  unknown  process  of  reasoning.  Bishop  Semple 
became  persuaded  that  he  had  caused  Mr.  Broaddus  to 
change  his  views  materially  from  those  he  had  pub- 
lished in  the  Christian  Baptist.  Accordingly  he  re- 
marked in  a  letter  to  Silas  M.  Noel,  D.  D.,  of  Kentucky, 
in  1827,  that  ''he  (Paulinus)  wrote  something  last 
year  in  which  he  certainly  went  too  far.  He  is  con- 
vinced (I  am  persuaded),  and  is  guarded  against  our 
friend  Campbell's  chimeras."     The  letter  was  meant 


The  Campbell  and  Semple  Controversy  45 

for  a  private  communication,  but  Dr.  Noel,  in  an  edi- 
torial in  the  (Kentucky)  Baptist  Recorder,  could  not 
refrain  from  using  the  above  quotation  as  an  evidence 
of  the  decline  of  the  reformation  in  Virginia.  A  cor- 
respondent living  in  Kentucky,  and  signing  himself 
Qucrens,  immediately  wrote  to  the  Christian  Baptist, 
calling  on  the  Bishop  to  expose  Mr.  Campbell's  chi- 
meras.  He  referred  to  the  uniformly  excellent  character 
borne  by  Bishop  Semple,  and  presumed  that  there 
must  be  reasons  for  his  statement.  If  Mr.  Campbell 
was  promulgating  chimeras,  then  duty  to  God  and  man 
required  that  they  should  be  exposed,  so  that  all  might 
be  guarded  against  them.  Moreover,  Bishop  Semple's 
reputation  for  piety,  learning  and  talents  designated 
him  as  the  very  fittest  person  for  attempting  such  a 
refutation. 

Paulinus  immediately  followed  the  publication  of 
these  remarks  by  a  note  of  explanation,  in  which  he 
vindicated  the  Bishop  of  any  wrong  motive  in  what 
was  intended  as  a  private  letter  to  Dr.  Noel.  He  re- 
iterated his  own  position  as  identical  with  that  formerly 
taken  by  him  in  the  Christian  Baptist. 

In  answer  to  Querens,  Bishop  Semple  published  a 
letter  in  the  Baptist  Recorder,  in  which  he  clings  to  his 
old  hobby  that  Campbell  was  a  disciple  of  Sandeman, 
and  as  Andrew  Fuller  had,  in  his  estimation,  fully 
answered  these  in  his  "  Strictures  on  Sandemanianism, " 
that  he  (Semple)  would  refer  Querens  and  all  such  to 
Fuller's  work  as  a  complete  refutation  of  this  system. 
''If,  however,"  he  continues,  ''I  should  be  induced  to 
become  a  controversialist,  I  believe  I  should  as  soon 


46  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

enter  the  lists  with  my  friend  Campbell  as  any  other,  for 
three  reasons:  One  is,  on  the  points  on  which  we  differ 
I  am  persuaded  he  is  palpably  on  the  wrong  side,  and  it 
would  not  be  a  hard  task  to  make  it  manifest.  A  sec- 
ond is,  he  is  so  much  of  a  champion  that  to  be  beaten 
by  him  would  not  be  so  discreditable  as  it  might  be  with 
some  other  antagonist.  A  third  is,  I  think  him  a  gen- 
erous combatant  with  one  who  wishes  nothing  but  fair 
play." 

In  Mr.  Campbell's  answer  to  this  letter  he  says  that 
if  he  is  in  the  wrong  he  is  open  to  conviction;  he  "most 
unequivocally  and  sincerely"  renounced  each  and  every 
one  of  the  systems  attributed  to  him,  and  used  every 
argument  to  show  that  it  was  the  Bishop's  duty  to 
give  his  reasons  for  opposing  the  principles  of  the  res- 
toration. ''I  call  upon  you,"  he  wrote,  ''as  a  man,  as 
a  scholar,  as  a  Christian,  and  as  a  Christian  Bishop,  to 
come  forward  and  make  good  your  assertions  against 
your  'friend  Campbell.'  My  pages  are  open  for  j^ou. 
You  shall  have  line  for  line,  period  for  period,  page  for 
page,  with  me.  I  pledge  myself  to  treat  you  as  a  gen- 
tleman and  a  Christian  ought  to  do.  You  will  not  find 
an  insinuation  nor  a  personality  in  all  I  may  say  of  you. 
I  wish  to  give  you  a  fair  specimen  of  that  sort  of  dis- 
cussion which  I  approve,  and  to  show  what  reason, 
demonstration,  and  Scripture  declaration  can  achieve 
with  an  able  and  an  honorable  opponent.  There  is  no 
man  in  America  I  would  rather  have  for  an  opponent, 
if  I  must  have  an  opponent,  than  you.  Come  forward 
then.  Brother  Semple;  choose  the  topics,  one  at  a  time; 
numerically  arrange  3- our  arguments  and  proofs;  make 


The  Campbell  and  Semple  Controversy  47 

everything  plain  and  firm;  and  in  good  temper,  spirit, 
and  affection,  show  me  where  I  have  erred,  and  if  I 
cannot  present  reason,  Scripture,  and  good  sense  to 
support  me,  I  will  yield  to  your  superior  discernment, 
age,  and  experience,  one  by  one,  the  points  in  which  we 
differ.  And  as  this  work  is  generally  bound  in  volumes, 
your  essays,  the  antidote  or  the  remedy,  will  descend 
with  the  poison  to  future  readers." 

After  waiting  in  vain  for  some  months  for  a  reply 
from  Bishop  Semple,  Mr.  Campbell  thought  it  due  the 
cause  he  advocated  to  analyze  one  of  the  Bishop's  let- 
ters to  Dr.  Noel,  published  in  the  Baptist  Recorder,  in 
which  the  writer  had  spoken  disparagingly  of  the 
restoration  movement  and  advocated  the  use  of 
creeds.  ''Creeds/'  said  the  Bishop,  "are  good  servants 
but  bad  masters.  Give  them  too  much  authority, 
and  they  will  tyrannize;  but  let  them,  as  messengers, 
carry  the  digested  opinions  of  one  set  of  men  to  another, 
and  their  effect  is  excellent.  The  Baptists  have  been 
a  divided  people  ever  since  my  knowledge  of  them, 
owing  (I  think)  to  the  want  of  proper  respect  for  estab- 
lished opinions,  customs  and  regulations,  whether 
written  or  otherwise." 

In  his  analysis  of  this  letter,  Mr.  Campbell  wrote: 
''On  the  supposition  that  you  trace  these  divisions  to 
the  want  of  sufficient  respect  for  a  creed,  then  you  have 
made  a  creed  to  mean  'established  opinions,  customs 
and  regulations.'  Is  this  the  servant?  Surely  if  the 
opinions,  customs  and  regulations  are  established,  they 
are,  or  must  be,  masters;  and  we  must  submit.  To  this 
I  have  no  objections,  provided  the  authority  that  es- 
tablishes them  be  paramount  to  every  other. 


48  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

''But  what  right  has  one  generation  to  estabUsh 
'opinions,  customs  and  regulations'  for  another?  And 
wliy  should  you  and  I  submit  to  the  'opinions,  customs 
and  regulations'  established  by  any  human  authority? 
If  I  must  examine  for  myself,  what  shall  I  examine? 
The  creed  or  the  Bible?  If  I  must  not  take  the  creed 
upon  trust,  but  if  you  say  I  must  go  to  the  Bible  as  well 
as  to  the  creed,  may  I  not  as  well  go  to  the  Bible  at 
first  as  at  last?  Say,  Bro.  Semple,  may  I  not — ought 
I  not — go  to  the  Bible  at  first?  If  I  take  the  creed  at  all, 
you  will  say: — Take  the  creed  in  one  hand  and  the  Bible 
in  the  other.  And  of  what  use  then  is  the  creed? 
Why,  say  you,  it  will  help  you  to  understand  the  Bible 
or  guide  you  in  the  examination  of  it.  If  so,  then  I 
must  make  the  creed  a  pair  of  spectacles  instead  of  a 
staff,  and  wear  it  upon  my  nose  instead  of  keeping  it 
in  my  hand.  If  I  must  examine  the  Bible  through  the 
creed,  then  the  creed  is  my  eyes;  my  artificial  eyes  (for 
it  cannot  be  my  natural  eyes),  my  spectacles.  If  my 
spectacles  are  green  glass,  the  Bible  is  green;  if  blue, 
the  Bible  is  blue;  and  as  is  the  creed,  so  is  the  Bible  to 
me.  I  am  a  Calvinist,  or  an  Arminian,  or  a  FuUerite, 
according  to  my  spectacles  or  my  creed,  my  'estab- 
lished opinions,  customs  and  regulations.'  " 

This  is  but  a  sample  of  the  searching  analysis  given 
to  Bishop  Semple's  letter.  When  the  original  letter 
first  appeared,  a  venerable  bishop  in  Kentucky  re- 
marked that  he  regretted  to  hear  such  sentiments  fall 
from  the  lips  of  any  Baptist,  especially  from  the  pen 
of  a  man  renowned  for  his  wisdom,  piety  and  divinity; 
and  that  he  expected  that  Mr.  Campbell  would  wound 


The  Campbell  and  Semple  Controversy  49 

the  writer  of  them  deeply.  Even  James  B.  Ta3dor,  in 
his  biography  of  Robert  B.  Semple,  says:  ''These 
letters  were  too  hastily  written." 

This  controversy  between  Mr.  Campbell  and  Bishop 
Semple  awakened  great  interest  in  Eastern  Virginia, 
where  Bishop  Semple  was  regarded  as  the  champion 
of  the  Baptist  cause.  His  refusal  to  give  his  reasons 
for  opposing  the  reformation  was  regarded  by  many  as 
a  virtual  acknowledgment  of  the  weakness  of  his  po- 
sition. So  rapidly  did  public  interest  in  the  restora- 
tion increase  that  in  three  months  following  the  analy- 
sis of  Bishop  Semple's  letter  more  than  two  hundred 
new  subscribers  were  gained  for  the  Christian  Baptist  in 
Eastern  Virginia.  This  rapidly  increasing  circulation, 
leading  to  a  more  widespread  dissemination  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  restoration,  was  the  means  of  firmly  estab- 
lishing it  in  that  section.  The  interest  and  excitement 
were  greatly  increased  when  Thomas  M.  Henley,  of 
Essex  county,  one  of  the  most  earnest  and  talented 
Baptist  preachers  in  the  State,  began  to  publicly  teach 
the  Gospel  as  advocated  by  the  reformers.  By  his 
side  stood  Dr.  John  Du  Val,  of  King  and  Queen  county; 
Peter  Ainslie,  Dudley  Atkinson,  M.  W.  Webber,  and 
John  Richards,  all  fearless  proclaimers  of  the  Word  of 
God.  These  were  all  men  of  strong  convictions,  fear- 
less soldiers  of  the  cross,  who  cared  not  a  straw  for 
persecution.  Their  lives  constituted  a  large  part  of 
the  warp  and  woof  of  the  restoration  in  the  Tidewater 
region.  May  their  names  ever  be  cherished  by  a 
brotherhood  loyal  to  the  principles  they  fought  so  hard 
to  establish. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MR.    CAMPBELL   IN    RICHMOND. 

In  the  fall  of  1829  Mr.  Campbell  was  elected  delegate 
from  his  district  to  the  Constitutional  Convention 
which  convened  in  Richmond  on  the  fifth  day  of 
October  of  that  year.  The  convention,  composed  in 
all  of  ninety-six  delegates,  numbered  among  its  mem- 
bers James  Madison  and  James  Monroe,  Ex-Presi- 
dents of  the  United  States,  together  with  Chief-Justice 
Marshall,  John  Randolph  of  Roanoke,  Judge  Upshur, 
and  others  of  equal  fame.  Mr.  Campbell  was  a  member 
of  the  Judiciary  Committee.  During  the  course  of  the 
convention  he  delivered  many  able  speeches,  but  never 
did  he  forget  his  great  calling  and  mission.  Ex- 
President  Madison,  in  returning  to  his  home  from  the 
convention,  passed  the  night  at  the  home  of  Mr. 
Edmund  Pendleton,  in  Louisa  county,  and  early  the 
next  morning,  as  he  and  Mr.  Pendleton  were  walking 
the  piazza,  the  latter,  who  was  somewhat  of  an  admirer 
of  Mr.  Campbell,  asked  Mr.  Madison  for  his  opinion  of 
the  Reformer.  Mr.  Madison,  in  answer,  spoke  in  very 
high  terms  of  the  ability  shown  by  him  in  the  conven- 
tion. ''But,"  continued  he,  ''it  is  as  a  theologian  that 
Mr.  Campbell  must  be  known.  It  was  my  pleasure  to 
hear  him  very  often  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel,  and  I 
regard  him  as  the  ablest  and  most  original  expounder 
of  the  Scriptures  I  have  ever  heard." 


Mr.  Campbell  in  Richmond  51 

His  stay  in  Richmond  contributed  in  no  small  degree 
to  promote  the  cause  Mr.  Campbell  advocated,  and  led 
to  many  warm  friendships  being  formed.  Among  the 
many  interesting  and  profitable  conversations  held 
with  the  citizens  of  Richmond  was  one  with  a  venerable 
Jew,  Mr.  Judah,  the  ruler  of  a  Synagogue  of  the  Jews 
in  Richmond.  He  was  seventy  years  old,  but  in  good 
health  and  possessed  of  a  vigorous  mind  and  body. 
Having  signified  his  desire  to  meet  ^Ir.  Campbell,  they 
were  invited  by  a  mutual  friend,  together  with  a  small 
party,  to  his  home,  where  a  conversation  was  held, 
as  follows: 

After  being  seated  side  by  side,  Mr.  Campbell  said, 
''I  feel  myself  particulary  happy  in  being  seated  by 
the  side  of  a  son  of  the  patriarch  Abraham." 

Judah. — And  I  am  happy  in  becoming  acquainted 
with  one  who  so  ably  defended  the  divine  mission  of 
Moses  against  the  infidel  Owen. 

Campbell. — Have  you  read  the  debate  with  Mr. 
Owen? 

Judah. — I  have  carefully  read  it  all,  and  have  not  a 
single  objection  to  anything  in  the  first  volume  of  it. 
So  far  as  you  argue  the  authenticity  of  the  Jew's 
religion,  your  arguments  are  substantially  such  as  our 
Rabbins  use;  and  your  stripping  the  Deists  of  their 
natural  religion  is  one  of  the  best  things  I  have  read 
from  any  Christian.  You  know  I  differ  from  you  on  the 
Christian  part  of  your  argument ;  but  one  thing  I  will 
say  to  you,  I  have  heard  some  of  your  lectures  on  the 
Christian  rehgion  since  you  came  to  the  city,  which, 
with  what  I  have  read  from  your  pen  on  that  subject, 


52  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

assure  me  that  you  teach  the  rehgion  which  Jesus  and 
the  Apostles  taught,  if  I  know  anything  of  the  meaning 
of  what  the  New^  Testament  says.  And,  let  me  add, 
you  are  the  only  Christian  preacher  I  have  heard  in  a 
long  life  that  does  not  abuse  us  poor  Jews.  I  was 
wont  to  attend  the  Christian  meetings  in  Richmond, 
but  was  constrained  to  abandon  them  because  of  the 
insults  offered  us  Jews. 

Campbell. — I  never  can  reproach  a  Jew.  We 
Gentiles  are  debtors  to  the  seed  of  Abraham  for  all 
that  gives  us  elevation  of  character,  and  although  the 
remnant  of  j^our  people  were  to  be  treated  as  you  say 
the  Christian  preachers  now  treat  them,  and  your  own 
Prophets  foretold,  still,  I  never  will  be  the  person 
who  will  speak  contumeliously  of  a  Jew  as  such.  For 
your  Fathers'  sake  I  must  always  respect  A^our  nation; 
and  glad  would  I  be  if  your  reproach  among  the 
nations  was  taken  away.  But  there  are  a  few  ques- 
tions which  I  would  wish  to  propose  to  you  for  my  own 
information. 

JuDAH. — It  will  give  me  pleasure  to  answer  them. 

Campbell. — Do  you  continue  to  read  the  Law,  the 
Prophets,  and  the  Psalms  in  your  Synagogues,  as  your 
people  were  accustomed  to  do  at,  and  before,  the 
Christian  era? 

JuDAH. — In  our  Synagogues  every  Sabbath-day  the 
Law,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Psalms  are  read,  and 
all  once  through  every  year — just  as  you  stated  in 
debate  with  Owen.  We  have  these  sacred  writings 
divided  into  weekly  lessons,  and  so  divided  as  to  make, 
in  all,  only  fifty-two  lessons. 


Mr.  Campbell  in  Richmond  53 

Campbell.— You  have  not  much  time  for  ''preach- 
ing," then,  as  we  Christians  call  it. 

JuDAH. — No,  nor  much  need  of  your  sort  of  preaching 
or  expounding.  We  hear  Moses  and  the  Prophets.  We 
chant  the  Psalms  of  David,  and  invoke  the  God  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  But  we  have  no  sermons. 
Sometimes  an  exhortation  is  tendered;  but  it  is  short, 
and  only  occasional.  We  teach  our  children  the  Law, 
without  creed  or  catechism.  We  often  hear  in  your 
Christian  Synagogues  sermons  upon  a  sentence  in 
Moses  or  the  Prophets,  very  unlike,  however,  what 
Moses  or  the  Prophets  taught.  Your  preachers  make 
all  our  Scriptures  typical,  and  your  own  too.  They 
often  fault  our  Rabbins,  and  talk  about  the  traditions 
of  our  Elders;  but  I  find  that  Rabbi  Luther,  Rabbi 
Calvin,  and  Rabbi  Wesley,  are  as  venerable  as  any  of 
our  Rabbins,  and  their  traditions  as  sacred  as  those 
of  our  Elders. 

Campbell. — Does  your  reading  of  the  Law  and  the 
Prophets  correspond  with  our  version  of  them? 

JuDAH.— Substantially  it  does;  excepting  some  pas- 
sages in  the  Prophets  and  in  the  Psalms,  and  these  are 
not  numerous. 

Campbell.— W^hat  do  you  mean  by  the  Spirit  of  God? 

JuDAH. — We  mean  not  what  you  mean.  You  rep- 
resent the  Spirit  as  a  person  distinct  from  the  Father. 
We  believe  that  Jehovah  is  one  Jehovah;  that  the 
Spirit  is  his  power,  his  wisdom,  his  goodness  in  opera- 
tion; but  have  no  idea  of  a  distinct  person  or  being. 

Campbell. — I  have  thought  that  the  distinction  of 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  is  a  Christian  revelation 


54  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

and  not  a  Jewish,  and  that  some  of  the  criticisms  upon 
Aleim  and  other  words  and  phrases  in  your  writings, 
applied  by  our  Christian  Doctors  to  this  Christian 
development,  were  forced  and  unnatural. 

JuDAH. — They  are  all  so.  Aleim,  with  us,  denotes 
one  Jehovah.     ''The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord." 

Campbell. — As  I  merely  inquire  after  your  views 
and  customs,  permit  me  to  inquire.  Do  3^ou  use  bread 
and  wine  in  eating  the  Passover? 

JuDAH. — There  have  been  from  time  immemorial  a 
loaf  of  bread  and  a  flagon  of  wine  upon  the  same  table 
on  which  the  Passover  is  served;  and  both  are  used  by 
us  prett}^  much  as  Jesus  is  said  to  have  used  them. 
We  give  thanks  for  them,  and  distribute  them  among 
the  family  which  partake  of  the  lamb.  We  cannot  tell 
how  they  came  to  be  used;  but  our  fathers  have  used 
them  as  a  thank-offering,  and  we  still  hold  this  among 
our  sacred  customs. 

Campbell. — Do  you  use  immersion  in  water,  as  a 
religious  institution,  for  any  purpose? 

JuDAH. — It  was  used  in  proselyting  a  Gentile;  but 
since  proselytism  has  ceased  this  custom  has  ceased. 
When  any  foreigner  was  added  to  the  congregation, 
he  was  first  circumcised,  then  sprinkled  with  sacrificial 
blood,  and  immersed  in  a  running  stream,  or  bath;  for 
we  have  a  tradition  that  ''onl}^  by  circumcision,  sacri- 
fice, and  immersion,  can  a  Gentile  be  received  into  the 
congregation;"  for  it  was  by  circumcision,  the  blood 
of  sprinkling,  and  immersion  in  the  Red  Sea,  or  in  the 
cloud  and  sea,  that  we  were  dedicated  to  the  Lord. 


Mr.  Campbell  in  Richmond  55 

Campbell. — Might  I  request  you  to  state  to  me 
your  expectations  of  the  Messiah? 

JuDAH. — Our  people  are  now  very  far  from  agreed 
upon  this  subject.  I  beheve  that  our  nation  will  all  be 
converted  in  one  day — not  to  Jesus,  however;  but  that 
the  Messiah  will  come,  and  all  the  people  shall  know 
him  and  receive  him  cordially  when  he  comes.  Then 
"a  nation  shall  be  born  in  a  day."  Our  people,  Mr. 
Campbell,  will  never  be  converted  by  your  missionaries. 
Those  of  them  who  have  been  said  to  be  converted 
were  hypocrites,  and  apostatized  from  us  for  interest, 

like  your  Missionaries, and .     I  agree  with 

Paul  in  some  things;  but  Paul  stole  them  from  the 
Prophets  and  pretended  to  have  been  inspired.  But 
it  is  true  that  .''all  Israel  shall  be  saved,  when  the 
Deliverer  shall  come  out  of  Zion,  and  shall  turn  away 
impiety  from  Jacob."  Then,  too,  shall  all  the  Gentiles 
acknowledge  Him,  and  never  will  you  convert  all  the 
Gentiles  to  Jesus.  You  can  neither  convert  the  Jews 
nor  the  Gentiles  to  your  Messiah;  but  when  the  Son 
of  David  comes,  all  nations  shall  do  him  homage. 

Campbell. — Do  you  know  to  what  tribe  you  belong? 

JuDAH. — No;  the  family  hneage  and  th^  tribes  are 
all  lost. 

Campbell. — Was  it  not  foretold  that  the  Messiah 
should  be  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  of  the  family  of 
David? 

Judah. — Certainly  it  was. 

Campbell. — Was  not  this  foretold  in  order  to  enable 
you  to  recognize  and  prove  the  pretensions  of  the 
Messiah  when  he  came? 


56  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

JuDAH. — It  was. 

Campbell. — How,  then,  can  these  prophesies  be  of 
any  use  to  you  when  the  hneage  of  families  and  the 
tribes  were  lost?  The  purpose  for  which  they  were 
given  cannot  now  be  accomplished  if  the  Messiah  be 
yet  to  come ! 

JuDAH. — I  will  tell  you  how  I  understand  this  may 
be  accomplished:  When  the  Messiah  comes,  he  will  tell 
every  man  to  what  tribe  and  family  he  belongs. 

Campbell. — But  will  his  assertion  of  that  which  you 
cannot  prove  but  upon  his  own  testimony  be  a  testi- 
mony in  his  favor!  Could  such  an  imposition  be  de- 
tected? Is  not  this  to  open  the  door  for  imposture? 
If  you  cannot  prove  the  family  and  the  tribe  of  every 
pretender,  the  prophesies  concerning  the  family  and 
tribe  can  serve  no  purpose  whatever. 

JuDAH. — Mr.  Campbell,  we  do  not  want  proselytes 
to  our  rehgion.  I  do  not  talk  with  you  to  convert  you. 
We  want  no  converts.  Your  Master  commanded  you 
to  make  proselytes;  but  Moses  gave  us  no  such 
commands. 

Campbell. — I  admit  he  did  not.  I  do  not  expect  to 
convert  you  to  the  Christian  faith;  but  as  you  have 
been  so  condescending  as  to  answer  my  questions,  I 
wish,  for  my  own  information,  to  know  by  what  argu- 
ments you  reject  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 

JuDAH. — As  a  matter  of  information,  but  not  with  a 
design  to  convert  you,  I  will  continue  to  answer  your 
questions. 

Campbell. — What  was  the  most  heinous  offence 
against    God    which     your   nation,    according   to   the 


Mr.  Campbell  in  Richmond  57 

tenor  of  your  covenant,  or  constitution,  could  commit? 

JuDAH.— There  were  many  very  heinous  offences 
which  we  could  and  did  commit. 

Campbell.— But  was  it  not  treason  for  your  nation, 
and  the  most  flagrant  sin  which,  under  your  govern- 
ment, you  could  be  guilty  of,  to  apostatize  into  idolatry? 

JuDAH. — It  was.  As  a  national  sin,  it  was  our  great- 
est sin. 

Campbell.— And  was  it  not  a  sin  to  be  punished 
with  the  utmost  severity,  as  Moses  declared? 

JuDAH.— Most  unquestionably ;  it  merited  the  severest 
punishment. 

Campbell. — And  when  your  nation,  as  such,  fell 
into  this  sin,  was  not  the  seventy  years'  captivity  in 
Babylon,  together  with  the  destruction  of  your  Temple 
and  city,  the  punishment  inflicted  upon  you  for  this 
sin? 

JuDAH.— It  was  the  punishment  visited  upon  us  for 
that  sin,  and  the  severest  punishment  ever  inflicted 
upon  our  nation  for  fifteen  hundred  years. 

Campbell. — But  a  punishment  still  more  severe  has 
since  befallen  you;  and  w^ere  we  to  estimate  sin  by 
temporal  punishments,  we  would  be  constrained  to 
think  that  as  your  Temple  w^as  razed  to  its  foun- 
dation, your  city  laid  in  ruins,  and  your  nation 
carried  captive  into  all  nations,  and  banished  from 
your  own  land  for  almost  two  thousand  years,  you  must 
about  that  time  have  committed  a  sin  as  much  more 
aggravated  in  its  character  than  simple  idolatry  as 
the  punishment  consequent  upon  it  has  been  more  tre- 
mendous in  its  nature  and    protracted  in  its  duration 


58  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

than  was  the  Babylonish  captivity  with  all  its  con- 
comitants. 

JuDAH. — We  have  committed  some  great  sin,  it  is 
true ;  but  what  that  sin  was  it  is  not  so  easy  to  deter- 
mine. 

Campbell. — But  have  you  not  been  led  to  suspect 
that  as  this  evil  came  upon  your  nation  shortly  after 
your  rejection  and  crucifixion  of  Jesus,  that  probably 
it  came  upon  you  on  that  account? 

JuDAH. — Josephus  said  it  came  upon  us  for  the  mar- 
tyrdom of  James  the  Just;  but  I  profess  not  to  know 
on  what  account  it  came  upon  us. 

Campbell. — Did  not  Moses  say  that  if  you  would 
not  obey  that  Prophet  of  which  he  informed  you,  that 
such  a  calamity  would  befall  you? 

JuDAH. — Whom  do  j^ou  think  that  Prophet  to  have 
been? 

Campbell. — Jesus  the  Nazarene. 

JuDAH. — That  cannot  be;  for  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was 
not  raised  up  like  Moses;  and  the  Prophet  of  whom 
Moses  spoke  was  to  be  raised  up  as  Moses  was. 

Campbell. — And  who  do  3^ou  say  that  Prophet 
was? 

JuDAH. — We  believe  that  Moses  was  then  speaking 
of  Joshua,  his  successor. 

Campbell. — And  was  Joshua  raised  up  like  Moses? 

JuDAH. — He  was  a  man  like  Moses;  but  you  say 
Jesus  was  God.  And  he  pretended  to  be  equal  with 
Jehovah. 

Campbell. — Jesus  professed  to  be  the  Son  of  God;  and 
sustained  his  pretensions  by  works  equal,  if  not  superior, 


Mr.  Campbell  in  Richmond  59 

to  those  which  certified  the  mission  of  Moses.  And 
Jesus  was  raised  up,  just  as  Moses  was  raised,  from 
obscurity,  by  the  mighty  power  of  God.  But  how 
can  you  think  that  Joshua  was  regarded  in  these  words 
of  Moses,  when  he  is  not  named  nor  alluded  to  for 
ten  chapters  afterwards? 

JuDAH. — What  was  more  natural  than  for  Moses, 
in  the  book  of  Deuteronomy,  when  he  was  delivering 
his  valedictory  address  to  our  fathers,  than  to  allude 
to  his  successor,  and  to  caution  the  people  on  the 
subject  of  obedience  to  his  successor? 

Campbell. — This  he  does  afterwards;  but  nothing 
in  the  context  of  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  Deuter- 
onomy will  warrant  the  application  of  those  words 
to  Joshua.  Besides,  I  know  not  on  what  authority 
you  could  call  Joshua  a  prophet.  A  prophet  like 
Moses,  Joshua  was  not;  nor,  indeed,  could  any  other 
prophet  which  God  ever  sent  your  people  be  at  all 
compared  to  Moses.  So  illustrious  was  Moses  that  it 
was  no  disparagement  to  Jesus  to  be  compared  to  him. 
For  although  he  far  excelled  Moses,  yet  there  were 
more  points  of  coincidence  ■  between  him  and  Moses 
than  between  him  and  an}'  other  prophet.  Joshua 
was,  as  a  leader  to  Israel,  the  successor  of  Moses;  but 
pray  tell  me  in  what  respect  was  he  like  Moses  as 
a  prophet? 

JuDAH. — I  do  not  expect  you,  Mr.  Campbell,  to 
agree  with  me  on  this  subject,  and  you  know  I  told 
3'ou  that  I  did  not  aim  at  proselyting  you  to  my  faith. 

Campbell. — True,  you  said  so;  but  I  hope  you  will 
indulge  me  a  little  farther,  as  I  wish  to  know  what 


60  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

you  have  to  offer  against  our  faith,  and  what  reasons 
influence  you  in  rejecting  Jesus  as  the  Messiah. 

JuDAH. — We  have  many,  many  reasons;  more  than 
I  could  tell  you  in  a  long  time. 

Campbell. — Pray  how  do  you  apply  the  prophecy 
of  Jacob:  ''The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah, 
nor  a  law-giver  from  among  his  descendants,  till  Shiloh 
come;  and  to  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be." 

Judah. — I  do  not  read  that  passage  as  you  do.  I 
read  it,  'The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah  till 
they  come  to  Shiloh;  then  shall  the  people  assemble  to 
him" — that  is,  to  Saul)  for  it  was  at  Shiloh  the  people 
assembled  and  made  Saul  king. 

Campbell. — But  how  will  this  accord  with  the  fact? 
Was  the  sceptre  in  Judah  before  it  was  in  the  family 
of  Saul?  This  passage  intimates  that  the  sceptre 
should  continue  in  Judah  for  a  long  time;  but  your 
reading  puts  it  in  the  family  of  Saul  before  it  was  in 
the  tribe  of  Judah;  for  David  was  not  made  king  until 
Saul  was  rejected. 

Judah. — Judah  was  prince  or  chief  amongst  his 
brethren  from  Jacob's  time  till  Benjamin,  in  the 
person  of  Saul,  became  chief;  and  this  fact,  together 
with  the  place,  Shiloh,  where  the  people  assembled 
to  Saul,  proves  the  interpretation. 

Campbell. — But  doubtless  you  must  confess  that 
the  sceptre  did  not  depart  from  Judah  when  Saul  was 
made  king;  for  in  the  person  and  family  of  David  it 
continued  almost  a  thousand  years  after  it  departed 
from  Benjamin. 


Mr.  Campbell  in  Richmond  61 

JuDAH. — You  talk  about  the  peaceable  kingdom  of 
the  Messiah;  I  mean,  you  Christians  are  always  preach- 
ing about  this  Prince  of  Peace.  But  show  me  this 
peaceful  kingdom,  and  I  will  renounce  my  opposition 
to  your  Messiah. 

Campbell. — Here  I  admit  the  force  of  your  objec- 
tion; and  candor  compels  me  to  say  that  there  is  some 
strength  in  this  objection.  I  feel  my  inability  to  stand 
up  for  the  modern  Christian  profession.  But  one  fact 
consoles  me,  viz.,  Paul,  John,  Peter  and  Jude  assure  us 
that  this  state  of  things  would  come  to  pass;  therefore 
it  shakes  not  my  faith,  for  it  was  foretold.  That  the 
Messiah  should  be  a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted 
with  grief;  that  he  should  be  led  as  a  lamb  to  the 
slaughter;  and  that  in  his  humiliation  his  condemna- 
tion should  be  extorted,  is  not  more  plainly  foretold 
in  Isaiah  in  the  fifty-third  chapter  of  his  prophesies 
than  is  the  apostasy  of  Christians  which  we  now  witness. 
But  this  can  constitute  no  objection  against  the  re- 
ligion, more  than  that  those  incidents  in  the  life  of 
the  Messiah  should  be  an  objection  to  his  divine  mis- 
sion. A  reformation  has  commenced  which  will  never 
cease  till  Christians  and  Christianity  be  what  they 
once  were. 

JuDAH. — You  apply  Isaiah  as  other  Christians;  but 
I  apply  it  to  the  Jewish  nation — and  make  the  term 
he  stand  for  the   nation. 

Campbell. — But  for  this  arbitrary  appropriation  of 
the  term  he  no  good  reason  can  be  adduced.  There 
is  one  consideration  which  I  beg  you  to  reflect  upon. 
I  will  suggest  it  in  the  form  of  a  query,  and  will  not 


62  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

farther  impose  upon  your  good  nature  for  the  present. 
What  proof  can  any  Messiah  ever  give  of  his  mission 
more  convincing  than  did  Jesus  of  Nazareth?  Tell 
me  what  signs  or  evidences  can  your  Messiah  adduce — 
only  mention  one — that  our  Messiah  has  not  afforded? 

JuDAH. — If  all  that  is  testified  of  Jesus  by  His 
historians  were  true,  I  would  say  that  the  evidence 
was  as  satisfactory  as  necessary.  But  how  will  you 
prove  that? 

Campbell. — By  all  the  same  arguments  by  which 
you  would  impugn  their  testimony  will  I  impugn  that 
of  your  own  Moses.  But  you  told  me  that  my  argu- 
ment for  the  divine  mission  of  Moses  was  irrefragable. 
My  argument  for  the  testimony  of  Matthew,  Mark, 
Luke  and  John  is  just  the  same. 

JuDAH. — I  read  the  New  Testament  more  than  most 
of  my  brethren.  I  blame  you  not  for  your  proselyting 
zeal.  Do  try  "and  convert  your  Christians  to  that 
book.  I  respect  you  as  an  honest  Christian:  believe 
me  to  be  an  honest  Jew,  who  cannot  believe  for  the 
reasons  assigned  by  your  Paul  in  his  letter  to  the 
Romans.  I  shall  always  be  glad  to  see  you.  But  I 
must  await  the  conversion  of  my  countrymen:  for 
Israel  will  all  be  converted  in  one  day. 

Campbell. — One  word  more.  How  do  you  Jews 
expect  to  obtain  the  remission  of  your  sins,  as  you 
have  neither  temple,  nor  altar,  nor  priest? 

JuDAH. — By  prayer. 

Campbell. — I  know  of  no  promise  nor  institution  in 
your  religion  which  warrants  a  hope  or  remission  with- 
out sacrifice. 


Mr.  Campbell  in  Richmond  63 

JuDAH. — Sacrifice  we  cannot  have;  for  we  have 
neither  temple,  nor  altar,  nor  priest:  and  therefore, 
if  God  forgives  us  not  through  prayer,  forgiveness  we 
cannot  gain.  But  our  trust  is  in  Jehovah,  whose  mercy 
endureth  forever.     Farewell. 

Mr.  Campbell  remained  in  Richmond  till  the  close 
of  the  convention,  in  January,  1830.  His  stay  in 
Richmond  proved  to  be  an  important  step  in  the 
advancement  of  the  restoration.  As  a  delegate  to  the 
Constitutional  Convention,  he  obtained  a  prestige  that 
could  not  have  been  gained  in  any  other  way.  Then, 
too,  owing  to  the  length  of  his  visit,  he  was  enabled 
to  come  in  touch  with  many  well-known  reformers 
whom  he  had  never  before  known  face  to  face,  and 
also,  by  his  preaching  in  the  First  Baptist  Church,  he 
had  the  opportunity  of  correctly  presenting  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  the  restoration  where  his  views 
had  been  grossly  misrepresented.  The  majority  of  the 
people  heard  him  with  pleasure  and  interest,  but 
waited  to  see  whereunto  this  thing  would  grow. 
Several,  however,  were  constitutionally  received  into 
the  kingdom  of  Christ.  One,  a  young  physician,  who 
had  become  enhghtened  as  to  his  duty  through  reading 
the  Christian  Baptist,  traveled  over  a  hundred  miles 
to  hear  the  great  Reformer  preach,  and  was  baptized 
by  him.  Before  returning  home  Mr.  Campbell  visited 
several  churches  in  Carohne,  King  and  Queen  and 
Essex  counties.  The  following  account  of  his  visit 
to  the  home  of  Thomas  M.  Henley,  wTitten  by  Mr. 
Campbell  himself,  is  interesting: 


64  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

''I  had  the  pleasure  of  an  interview  with  the  vener- 
able Bishop  Semple,  on  my  way  from  Richmond,  as 
well  as  with  most  of  my  former  acquaintance,  friends, 
and  brethren  in  the  counties  of  Louisa,  Hanover, 
King  William,  King  and  Queen,  Essex,  Caroline  and 
Spottsylvania.  My  interview  with  none  of  the 
Bishops  was  so  interesting  as  was  that  with  Bishop 
Semple.  From  the  collision  into  which  we  had  fallen, 
through  Dr.  Noel's  instrumentality,  and  from  the 
notoriety  of  the  differences  existing,  our  meeting 
derived  additional  interest.  While  I  was  lecturing  in 
Upper  Essex  meeting-house,  the  Bishop  arrived 
nearly  two  hours  before  I  had  finished  my  address. 
After  an  interchange  of  the  most  friendly  salutations, 
we  repaired  together  to  enjoy  the  Christian  hospital- 
ities of  our  common  friend  and  brother,  Bishop  Henley. 
Many  guests  accompanied  us,  and  we  had  quite  a 
little  congregation  around  the  social,  and,  I  might  add, 
the  Christian  fireside. 

''After  the  Bishop  and  myself  had  felt  the  cheering 
influences  of  the  fire  and  the  inspiring  influences  of  our 
mutual  friends  and  acqviaintance,  we  got  into  a  four- 
hours'  very  agreeable  fireside  discussion  of  many 
matters  and  things  pertaining  to  the  Christian  insti- 
tution. Not  a  word  was  said  nor  an  allusion  made 
to  what  had  formerly  transpired  between  us.  All 
was  as  though  it  had  never  been.  And  after  compar- 
ing the  grounds  and  reasons  of  our  respective  views 
and  courses  in  the  Christian  profession,  and  after  we 
had  united  in  prayer  and  praise,  we  reposed  together 
upon  the  same  couch,  until  the  eyelids  of  the  morning 
opened  upon  us,  and  bade  us  look  to  Heaven.  We 
arose.  And  after  we  had  dressed,  and  the  family  and 
guests  had  assembled,  we  repaired  to  a  pond,  on  which 
the  ice  was  about  an  inch  thick,  not  more  than  one- 
fourth  of  a  mile  from  the  house;  and  there,  while  the 
sun  was  lifting  his  golden  locks  over  the  tops  of  the 


Mr.  Campbell  in  Richmond  65 

trees,  and  the  little  congregation  standing  round  the 
pool,  I  immersed  a  disciple  from  King  William  into 
the  Christian  faith,  as  they  were  wont  to  do  before 
Antichrist  was  born!  We  returned  to  the  house, 
united  in  worship,  breakfasted;  and  after  some  friendly 
conversation,  we  prepared  to  depart,  each  one  his  own 
way.  Bishop  Semple  and  I,  after  expressing  for  each 
other  our  mutual  good  wishes,  bade  each  other  adieu — 
he  proceeding  to  King  and  Queen,  and  T  to  Caroline. 

''It  would  be  unbecoming  for  me,  and  it  is  a  task 
for  which  I  was  never  well  qualified,  to  give  any  account 
of  the  topics,  arguments  and  discussions  which  filled  up 
the  hours  we  were  together.  There  were  a  goodly 
number  of  very  intelligent  brethren  and  sisters  present 
who  could  do  this  much  better  than  1.  What  1  ad- 
mired most  of  all  was  the  good  temper  and  Christian 
courtes}^  of  this  venerable  disciple,  who,  although 
unable  to  rise  above  all  of  his  early  associations  and 
the  long  received  opinions  which  a  long  course  of  read- 
ing and  teaching  had  riveted  upon  his  mind,  3^et  he 
did  not  lose  sight  of  the  meekness  and  mildness,  the 
candor  and  complaisance,  which  the  religion  of  Jesus 
teaches,  and  without  which,  though  a  man's  head 
were  as  clear  as  an  angel's  intellect,  his  reUgion  is  vain." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

rUBLICATlON    OF    DECREES. 

It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  such  differences 
crept  into  the  ranks  of  the  Baptists  as  to  force  a  separa- 
tion between  them  and  the  reformers,  and  such  separa- 
tion ought  to  be  blotted  out  to-day  by  the  union  of 
these  two  great  rehgious  bodies,  which  agree  in  so 
many  important  particulars  and  disagree  in  so  few  and 
unimportant  points.  That  our  forefathers  in  the 
reformation  were  blameless,  we  would  not  for  a  moment 
assert.  But  that  the  leading  reformers  in  Eastern 
Virginia  were  conspicuous  for  their  forbearance,  cannot 
be  truthfully  denied.  They  endured  with  patience 
the  misrepresentations  and  injuries  of  their  opponents, 
who  in  their  hasty  zeal  to  save  what  they  supposed  to 
be  essential  Baptist  principles  from  the  fiery  trial  of  the 
Word  of  Truth,  in  many  instances  destroyed  by  their 
rashness  the  fundamental  principles  so  long  cherished 
by  the  Baptist  denomination, — the  rights  of  con- 
science, church  independency  and  Christian  liberaHty. 
flad  the  publication  of  proscriptional  decrees  not  been 
resorted  to  the  separation  might  have  been  delayed 
for  a  time,  but  owing  to  the  religious  feeling  of  the 
times  it  probably  would  have  come  sooner  or  later. 
In  the  then  existing  state  of  feeling  it  needed  but  a 
gentle  zephyr  to  fan  the  kindling  spark  of  sectarian 
and  fanatical  dogmatism  into  flame.  This  came  from 
an  unexpected  quarter  and  in  an  unexpected  manner. 


Publication  of  Decrees  67 

The  Mahoning  Association,  of  which  Mr.  Campbell  was 
a  member,  was  an  extensive  one,  embracing  a  large 
number  of  churches  in  Southeastern  Ohio.  All  of 
these  churches  had  adopted  the  principles  of  the  restora- 
tion with  the  exception  of  three  congregations  adjoining 
the  district  comprised  under  the  Beaver  Association. 
These,  taking  exceptions  to  the  restoration  movement, 
had  left  the  Mahoning  and  joined  the  Beaver  Associa- 
tion. Through  their  influence  the  Beaver  Association 
was  induced  to  issue  a  circular  anathematizing  the 
Mahoning  Association  and  Mr.  Campbell  as  "disbe- 
lieving and  denying  many  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,"  of  which  alleged  heresies  a  large  number 
were  catalogued.  This  action  of  one  association 
excluding  another  was  as  unwarrantable  as  for  one 
Church  member  to  exclude  another  of  equal  standing. 
The  document  was  circulated  with  the  utmost  diligence 
and  republished  in  the  leading  Baptist  papers  with 
commendations.  The  crisis  was  now  on.  Every- 
where Baptist  churches  and  associations,  unable  to 
refute  by  logic  and  Scriptural  testimony  the  doctrine 
of  the  reformers,  tried  the  high  hand  of  ecclesiastical 
authority.  The  result  was  that  discord  and  confusion 
reigned  in  Baptist  circles  throughout  the  country. 

The  idea  of  proscriptional  decrees  soon  found  root 
in  the  hearts  of  the  Eastern  Virginia  Baptists.  This 
was  a  summary  way  of  ending  the  controversy.  Abner 
W.  Clopton  was  one  of  the  leading  Baptist  preachers 
in  Eastern  Virginia.  He  had  at  first  been  pleased 
with  the  views  advanced  by  Mr.  Campbell,  but,  like 
Andrew   Broaddus,   he   had   become   offended   at   his 


68  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

views  on  "experimental  religion,"  and  became  one 
of  the  most  bitter  partisans  in  the  Baptist  ranks. 
Many  of  his  associates  in  the  Meherrin  Association 
took  sides  with  the  reformers,  among  whom  was 
Silas  Shelburne.  He  had  preached  with  his  father, 
James  Shelburne,  till  the  death  of  the  latter,  when  he 
was  called  to  the  care  of  the  churches  to  which  his 
father  had  ministered.  The  intolerant  spirit  of  Abner 
Clopton  could  not  brook  the  indecisive  policy  of  the 
Meherrin  Association  in  allowing  Brother  Shelburne 
and  some  of  his  co-laborers  to  preach  the  simple  doc- 
trine of  the  New  Testament  unadulterated  with 
Baptist  dogma.  He  resolved  to  imitate  the  example 
of  the  Beaver  Association,  and  accordingly,  at  the  next 
meeting  of  the  Appomattox  Association,  of  which  he 
was  clerk,  and  the  territory  of  which  adjoined  that 
of  the  Meherrin,  he  introduced  and  procured  the 
passage  of  the  Appomattox  Decrees.  These  decrees 
began  with  the  preamble  from  the  Beaver  Anathema, 
which  was  followed  by  the  following  resolutions: 

"1.  Resolved,  That  it  be  recommended  to  all  the 
churches  composing  this  Association  to  discounten- 
ance the  writings  of  Alexander  Campbell. 

"2.  Resolved,  That  it  be  recommended  to  all  the 
churches  in  this  Association  not  to  countenance  the 
new  translation  of  the  New  Testament. 

''3.  Resolved,  That  it  be  recommended  to  all  the 
churches  of  this  Association  not  to  invite  into  their 
pulpits  any  minister  who  holds  the  sentiments  ex- 
pressed in  the  Beaver  Anathema. 

''Abner  W.  Clopton,  Clerk." 


Publication  of  Decrees  '  69 

This  last  resolution  was  undoubtedly  intended  as  a 
blow  to  Silas  Shelburne  and  his  associates,  who  often 
preached  within  the  bounds  of  the  Appomattox  Asso- 
ciation. In  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Meherrin 
Association  one  of  Mr.  Clopton's  men  made  an  attempt 
to  have  the  reformers  cast  out.  Failing  in  this  attempt, 
he  declared  a  non-fellowship  from  the  body,  and 
vacated  his  seat. 

This  method  of  deaUng  with  the  reformation  by 
proscribing  its  advocates  was  destined  to  become 
quite  popular  among  the  Eastern  Virginia  Baptists. 
In  1830  report  was  made  to  Bruington  Church,  in 
King  and  Queen  county,  that  certain  persons  within 
the  bounds  of  this  Church  had  been  baptized  contrary 
to  the  usual  Baptist  custom,  i.  e.,  they  had  been  im- 
mersed upon  the  confession  of  their  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  that  similar  occurrences  had  taken 
place  in  neighboring  churches.  Bishop  Semple,  who 
was  pastor  of  Bruington  Church,  took  matters  into 
his  own  hands,  and  appointed  a  committee  to  confer 
with  the  other  churches  adjacent  to  them  and  recom- 
mend to  the  Church  what  measures  should  be  taken. 
Without  waiting  for  the  committee  to  report,  the 
Bishop  then  went  to  Andrew  Broaddus,  and  they 
appointed  a  day  for  a  conference  of  the  churches 
affected  by  this  breach  of  custom. 

Eight  churches  were  in  attendance  at  this  confer- 
ence, which  was  held  in  the  Upper  King  and  Queen 
meeting-house,  December  30  and  31,  1830.  The 
object  of  the  meeting  was  stated,  and  a  committee  of 
nine  was  appointed  to  sit  at  night  and  form  a  report 


70  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

to  be  brought  forward  and  considered  next  day.  The 
report,  after  a  lengthy  preamble,  which  asserted  the 
cause  of  their  distress  and  conference  as  being  a 
''system  of  religion  known  by  the  name  of  Camp- 
bellism,"  introduced  resolutions  on  the  following 
points : 

1.  That  we  consider  Spiritual  regeneration  as  a 
fundamental  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures;  2.  That  to 
maintain  baptism  to  be  conversion, — regeneration, — 
the  new  birth,  etc.,  is  a  radical  error  founded  in  popery; 
3.  That  to  substitute  the  word  reformation  for  re- 
pentance is  to  do  away  with  one  of  the  main  pillars  of 
the  Christian  religion;  4.  To  maintain  the  sufficiency 
of  human  nature  aided  by  the  mere  written  word,  in 
salvation,  is  an  attempt  to  resurrect  Pelagianism; 
5.  It  was  resolved  that  when  any  members  of  the 
churches  represented  maintained  any  of  the  above 
radical  errors  that  the  churches  be  recommended  to 
try  and  convince  them  of  their  errors  in  love,  and  if 
this  failed  they  were  to  declare  non-fellowship  with 
such;  6.  It  is  advised  that  the  churches  take  decided 
stand  against  preachers  who  perform  baptism  in  this 
new  way,  etc.;  7.  Persons  so  baptized  should  not  be 
received  into  fellowship,  except  upon  strict  examina- 
tion as  to  their  experience  and  the  motives  which  led 
their  taking  such  a  step.  In  conclusion,  the  churches 
were  recommended  to  observe  a  day  of  ''solemn 
humiliation,  with  fasting  and  prayer,  with  reference 
to  the  state  of  religion  and  the  distress  which  has 
given  rise  to  this  meetins;." 


Publication  of  Decrees  71 

These  decrees  were  dubbed  by  Mr.  Campbell  the 
Semple  and  Broaddus  Decrees.  They  received  their 
death  blow  when  they  were  rejected  by  Mr.  Semple 's 
own  Church,  Bruington,  on  March  5,  1831,  when 
brought  up  for  ratification.  This  was '  a  severe  re- 
proach to  Bishop  Semple.  ''The  very  Church," 
wrote  Mr.  Campbell,  ''which,  it  is  said,  was  so  aggrieved 
at  the  spread  of  our  views  as  to  justify  R.  B.  Semple 
and  Andrew  Broaddus  in  calling  a  council  to  pro- 
scribe us;  that  very  Church,  which,  it  is  said,  the 
mover  of  these  decrees  planted,  and  in  which  he 
has  labored  for  so  many  years,  has  done  itself  the 
honor  to  reject  the  decrees  of  the  elders.  Thus  has 
the  sceptre  departed  from  Judah  and  a  lawgiver  from 
Dover." 

The  meeting  of  the  Bruington  Church  was  a  large 
one;  every  white  male  member  was  present  except 
one,  who  was  sick.  One  was  sent  for  who  had  applied 
for  a  letter  twelve  months  before,  and  who  had  lived 
for  two  or  three  years  in  another  county.  The  decrees 
were  read,  and  Dr.  Du  Val  proceeded  to  pick  them  to 
pieces.  His  defence  of  the  reformation  was  powerful 
and  eloquent;  his  expose  of  the  injustice  done  in  the 
decrees  was  lucid  and  convincing.  Messrs.  Todd, 
Broaddus  and  Semple  used  all  their  talents,  eloquence 
and  authority  to  induce  the  Church  to  receive  them 
and  enter  them  on  the  Church  book.  But  the  Church 
would  not  hear  them.  R.  B.  Semple  then  insisted 
that  his  "opponents,"  those  who  would  not  vote  with 
him,  should  take  letters  of  dismission,  and  join  some 
other  Church.     But  this  they  would  not  do.     He  then 


72  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

ordered  ever}-  man's  name  to  be  written  down  and 
called  over,  so  that  each  man  would  answer  and 
record  his  vote.  They  continued  firm,  and  gave 
their  vote  in  writing  against  the  decrees.  The  Bishop 
then  moved  a  postponement  of  the  business  of  the 
meeting,  which  was  already  completed.  The  brethren 
voting  against  the  resolutions  were  immovable.  He 
then  proposed  to  modify  the  resolutions,  but  they 
would  not  have  even  a  modification  of  them.  Bishop 
Semple  then  remarked  in  the  presence  of  all  that  if 
they  had  put  the  resolutions  on  the  Church  book  no 
split  in  the  Church  would  have  taken  place;  but  now 
a  split  must  be  the  consequence.  He  was  informed 
that  if  any  split  occurred,  the  fault,  if  any,  would  be 
his.  The  meeting  broke  up,  and  so  ended  the  affair. 
The  next  day  Messrs.  Semple  and  Broaddus  preached 
human  inability  and  sovereign  grace  to  the  people, 
and  then  invited  sinners  to  come.  To  crown  all,  they 
broke  the  loaf  together,  reformers  and  anti-reformers. 
The  good  old  Bishop's  heart  relented — he  shed  many 
a  tear — and  all  had  a  fine  time  in  peace  and  unity. 


CHAPTER  V. 
THOMAS  Campbell's  visit  to  eastern  Virginia. 

In  December,  1831,  Thomas  Campbell,  the  father 
of  Alexander  Campbell,  visited  Eastern  Virginia.  His 
first  stop  was  made  at  Fredericksburg,  where  Robert 
Semple  was  then  acting  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  In  this  congregation  were  many  who  fa- 
vored the  doctrines  of  the  reformation,  and  accord- 
ingly Father  Campbell  was  asked  to  preach.  The 
invitation  being  seconded  by  Mr.  Semple,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell addressed  the  congregation  the  following  Lord's 
Day  morning  and  night  from  Titus  2:11 — 3:9.  At 
the  close  of  the  morning  sermon  Bishop  Semple  made 
a  few  remarks  commending  the  sermon  as  the  gospel, 
but  desiring  some  further  treatment  by  Mr.  Campbell 
as  to  his  views  of  the  word  ''grace"  in  the  text.  To 
this  request  Mr.  Campbell  replied  that  he  would  speak 
more  to  this  point  at  night.  ]\Ir.  Semple  then  closed 
the  meeting  with  a  fervent  prayer  that  the  blessing 
of  God  might  accompany  the  truth  that  had  been 
delivered,  and  also  for  Brother  Campbell,  that  God 
might  spare  his  life  many  years  and  go  with  him 
wherever  he  went  and  bless  him  abundantly  in  his 
labors. 

They  then  went  together  to  the  house  of  Brother 
Abner  Leitch,  where  they  dined.  After  dinner  Mr. 
Campbell  exhibited  to  the  company  some  papers  that 
he  was  bringing  before  the  churches,  in  which  were  set 


74  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

forth  the  principles  of  the  restoration.  After  reading, 
Mr.  Semple  expressed  his  approbation  of  these  princi- 
ples except  in  one  item,  viz.,  that  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  it  now  stands  is  sufficient  for  all  purposes  of 
Church  discipline.  He  thought  that  general  princi- 
ples were  inculcated  in  the  New  Testament,  but  that 
particular  rules  might  be  advantageously  drawn  from 
them.  Nothing  but  the  most  friendly  feelings  pre- 
vailed between  them. 

They  left  Bro.  Leitch's  house  together  to  go  to 
Church  for  the  evening  meeting.  As  this  was  the  day 
on  which  the  Church  was  to  partake  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  Bishop  Semple  took  George  Adams,  his  leacUng 
elder,  aside  and  asked  what  he  thought  of  the  pro- 
priety of  inviting  ]\Ir.  Campbell  to  commune  with  them. 
Bro.  Adams  answered  that  he  thought  baptism  was 
the  great  point  which  prevented  communion  with 
other  denominations,  and  that  in  this  case  such  objec- 
tion did  not  exist.  After  some  further  talk  ]\Ir. 
Semple  remarked  that  he  had  had  some  conversation 
with  the  venerable  Bro.  Campbell,  and  was  much 
pleased  with  him;  that  he  believed  him  to  be  a  good 
and  pious  man,  though  in  error.  They  went  to  the 
table  together.  Mr.  Semple  and  Mr.  Adams  presided, 
and  Bro.  Campbell  was  invited  and  communed  with 
them.  After  the  Supper  they  parted.  Mr.  Semple 
gave  to  Bro.  Campbell  his  benediction  and  bade  him 
Godspeed  in  the  work  in  which  he  was  engaged. 
Father  Campbell  resumed  his  discourse  at  night,  but 
Mr.  Semple's  health  precluded  his  being  present. 
Throughout  the  day  Bishop  Semple  had  manifested 


Thomas  CampbeWs  Visit  to  Eastern  Virginia     75 

the  spirit  of  love,  and  seemed  to  desire  to  live  in 
unity  with  his  brethren.  It  was  the  last  discourse 
he  was  permitted  to  hear.  A  severe  cold,  which  he 
had  previously  taken,  terminated  in  pleurisy,  and  in 
two  weeks  he  was  no  more.  He  departed  this  life  on 
Christmas  Day,  1831. 

Thomas  M.  Henley  wrote  Mr.  Semple's  obituary  for 
the  Millennial  Harbinger,  in  which  he  referred  to   the 
love  that  prevailed  during  this  last  public  day  of  his  life, 
and  made  especial  mention  of  Mr.  Semple's  communion 
with  Thomas  Campbell  and  his  benediction.     Upon  the 
publication  of  this  notice  Andrew  Broaddus  wrote  to 
Robert    Baylor    Semple,    son    of    the    deceased,    who 
had  been  with  his  father  on  the  occasion  mentioned, 
and  represented  that  a  great  injustice  had  been  done 
to  the  memory  of  his  father  in  making  it  appear  that 
he  had  bidden  Godspeed  to    the    reformation.     This 
led   to   a   controversy,  which   was   carried   on   in   the 
Religious  Herald  and  Millennial  Harbinger.     The  facts 
as  we  have  stated  them  were  fully  proven  by  letters 
from  a  number  of  brethren  present  when  they  occur- 
red.     Justice   compels  us  to  say  that  this   action  on 
the  part  of  Mr.  Broaddus  was  below  the  known  standard 
of  his  character,  and  must  be  viewed  in  the  light  of 
those  times.     Mr.  Broaddus  had  come  to  regard  the 
doctrines    of    the    reformation,    especially    that     of 
regeneration,   as   subversive   of   pure   Christianity,   in 
fact  as  heretical,  and  he  could  not  look  complacently 
upon  any  step  toward  fellowship  with  such  a  people. 

Mr.  Semple,  on  the  other  hand,  had  long  been  openly 
opposed  to  the  reformation,  but  in  his  latter  days  was 


76  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

beginning  to  recognize  the  good  in  his  self-made  op- 
ponents and  desired  to  Uve  at  peace  with  all  men. 
The  spirit  of  hostility  shown  by  him  at  the  King 
and  Queen  Conference  had  given  place  to  the  desire 
for  peace  and  unity,  and  on  one  occasion  he  had  told 
certain  of  his  brethren  of  the  Bruington  Church  that 
he  was  pleased  that  the  Church  did  reject  his  decrees. 
At  the  last  Dover  Association  before  his  death,  in 
October,  1831,  when  Andrew  Broaddus  and  others 
had  made  a  personal  attack  upon  Bro.  Henley,  Bishop 
Semple  opposed  the  violent  measures  introduced,  and 
publicly  proposed  conciliatory  measures.  He  even 
characterized  Bro.  Henley's  course  toward  the  Asso- 
ciation as  magnanimous,  and  exhorted  the  brethren 
to  forbearance  and  long-suffering.  During  the  same 
Association,  in  a  debate  as  to  the  best  method  of  de- 
ciding such  questions  as  were  then  continually  arising 
in  the  churches,  he  declared  himself  as  decidedly  in 
favor  of  deciding  by  a  majority.  He  said  that  it  had 
happened  to  himself  occasionally  to  be  in  the  minority 
when  he  was  confident  that  he  was  right,  but  he  had 
found  by  experience  that  it  was  always  best  to  yield 
to  the  majority.  Undoubtedly  this  was  a  reference  to 
the  King  and  Queen  Decrees  which  were  rejected  by 
Bruington  Church.  These  actions  on  the  part  of 
Bishop  Semple  show  conclusiveh'  that  his  latter  daj^s 
were  filled  with  a  desire  for  harmony  and  unity.  He 
was  not  reconciled  to  what  he  termed  ''Campbellism," 
nor  did  Bro.  Henley  nor  any  other  of  the  reformers 
endeavor  to  give  such  an  impression.  The  love  of 
Christ  had  simply  predominated  over  sectarian  preju- 


Thomas  Campbell's  Visit  to  Eastern  Virginia     77 

dice,  while  in  the  case  of  Andrew  Broaddus  the  latter 
was  gaining  the  victory. 

After  leaving  Fredericksburg,  Thomas  Campbell 
preached  in  Essex  county,  from  whence  Robert  Y. 
Henley  accompanied  him  to  Richmond.  Here  he  met 
Andrew  Broaddus,  and  exhibited  to  him  the  document 
before  mentioned,  setting  forth  the  principles  of  the 
restoration.  Father  Campbell  was  bringing  this  docu- 
ment before  the  churches  of  Virginia  for  their  assent  or 
dissent,  and  in  order  to  show  more  clearly  what  was 
contended  for  by  the  reformers.  Such  cries  as  "bap- 
tismal regeneration,"  '^self-salvation,"  and  the  im- 
plication that  the  reformers  denied  the  beneficent 
offices,  and  even  the  existence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  were 
current.  If  the  churches  could  be  persuaded  to  give 
their  assent  to  certain  well-defined  articles  setting 
forth  principles  held  by  the  reformers  the  threatened 
breach  between  them  and  the  Baptists  might  be 
avoided.  Thomas  Campbell  was  endeavoring  to  main- 
tain the  unity  of  the  Eastern  Virginia  congregations  by 
bringing  them  to  a  better  understanding  of  what  was 
really  advocated  by  the  reformers.  When  the  docu- 
ment was  presented  to  Andrew  Broaddus  he  approved 
of  the  principles  set  forth  without  exception,  but  later 
he  WTote  an  admonition  in  the  Religious  Herald  disap- 
proving of  them,  not  for  anything  they  said,  but  for 
what  they  did  not  say;  and  to  cap  the  climax,  warned 
the  churches  against  assenting  to  them.  In  the  same 
article  he  says,  "That  the  general  principles  to  which 
I  have  alluded  are,  in  the  main,  good  and  wholesome 
principles,  as  far  as  they  go,  I  readily  allow.     They 


78  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

hold  out  the  Scriptures  as  the  only  rule  and  standard 
of  faith  and  practice  to  be  imposed  on  men,  discarding 
all  human  inventions  in  religion,  and  considering 
prudential  regulations  as  matters  of  expediency  only. 
We  have  long  avowed  these  principles,  and  can  see  no 
good  reason  at  this  time  for  a  formal  recognition  of 
them."  The  logical  contradictions  in  this  are  too 
apparent  to  need  comment. 

Thomas  Campbell  arrived  in  Richmond  on  Januar}^ 
5,  1832.  A  considerable  number  of  members  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  had  long  been  studying  the  New 
Testament  with  diligence  and  zeal,  and  had  become 
satisfied  that  a  reform  in  the  Church  was  necessary. 
They  had  for  some  time  striven  to  set  forth  the  biblical 
teaching  in  regard  to  faith,  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper.  The  visit  of  Alexander  Campbell  in  1829-30 
had  measurably  strengthened  their  position,  but  they 
had  alwa3'S  granted  to  all  the  right  of  opinion.  The 
day  after  his  arrival  in  Richmond,  Thomas  Campbell 
visited  the  pastor  of  this  Church,  Elder  John  Kerr, 
who,  after  some  friendly  conversation,  invited  him  to 
preach  for  him  that  evening.  Father  Campbell  ac- 
cepted this  invitation,  and  continued  for  several  suc- 
cessive evenings  at  the  request  of  the  pastor.  On 
Sunday  evening,  January  15,  before  the  night  meeting, 
several  members  of  the  Church  were  at  the  house  of 
one  of  the  brethren.  Elder  Campbell's  preaching  was 
talked  of,  and  a  general  desire  expressed  that  he  should 
preach  often;  and  three  of  the  brethren  were  requested 
to  wait  upon  the  pastor,  and  ask  his  permission.  They 
waited  upon  him  that  evening  and  informed  him  of  the 


Thomas  CampbeWs  Visit  to  Eastern  Virginia     79 

wish  of  the  brethren,  that,  as  he  occupied  the  pulpit 
but  one  night  in  the  week,  he  would  give  notice  for 
Elder  Campbell  to  preach  on  the  other  nights;  and 
that  as  many  persons  in  the  adjoining  country  were 
anxious  to  hear  him,  and  could  not  unless  he  preached 
in  the  morning,  they  wished  him  to  preach  on  the  next 
Lord's  Day  morning;  to  all  of  which  Elder  Kerr  as- 
sented. After  the  services  that  night  he  gave  notice 
that  the  venerable  old  brother  in  the  pulpit  with  him 
would  preach  every  night  that  week  except  Friday 
night,  and  on  that  night  both  would  be  present,  and 
one  or  the  other  would  preach.  He  said  nothing  about 
the  appointment  for  the  following  Sunday  morning. 
It  was  thought  by  the  members  that  it  had  been  over- 
looked and  would  be  announced  some  night  early  in 
the  week.  On  Monday  night  Bro.  Campbell  preached. 
The  pastor  was  not  present,  and  there  being  several 
persons  from  the  country  at  meeting,  it  was  thought 
a  favorable  opportunity^  to  spread  the  information;  at 
the  request  of  several  members  a  deacon  of  the  Church 
gave  the  notice  that  Elder  Campbell  would  preach  in 
that  place  on  the  next  Sunday  morning.  Elder  Camp- 
bell preached  on  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and  Thursday 
nights,  and  no  difficulty  was  apprehended  about  the 
Sunday  morning  appointment  till  Friday  night.  On 
that  occasion  Elder  Kerr  preached,  and  after  the  sermon 
gave  notice  that  he  himself  would  preach  on  next  Sun- 
day morning.  Immediately  one  of  the  brethren  who 
had  asked  for  the  use  of  the  house  for  Elder  Campbell 
went  up  into  the  pulpit  and  asked  him  if  he  had  not 


80  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

made  a  mistake  in  making  the  appointment  for  him- 
self. He  responded  in  the  negative,  remarking  at  the 
same  time  that  he  had  not  promised  the  use  of  the 
house.  The  notice  had  then  been  sent  to  the  two 
daily  papers,  and  the  notice  of  the  appointment  having 
been  very  generally  circulated,  man}^  of  the  brethren, 
upon  consultation,  decided,  if  possible,  to  obtain  a 
place  for  Elder  Campbell  to  preach.  Upon  application 
to  the  Universalist  preacher  he  very  readily  consented 
to  give  up  the  use  of  the  Capitol,  which  had  been 
granted  him  for  that  morning  by  the  Governor;  and  the 
notices  were  changed  accordingly.  Many  members  of 
the  Church  and  others  attended  the  services  at  the 
Capitol,  and  nothing  more  was  heard  of  the  matter  until 
the  following  Sunday  morning,  when  Elder  Kerr  gave 
notice  that  on  the  following  Saturday  there  would  be 
a  Church  meeting  on  business  of  the  highest  importance. 
Inquiry  was  at  once  made  as  to  the  business,  when  it 
was  intimated  that  the  meeting  at  the  Capitol  had 
been  highly  offensive,  and  that  certain  members  whom 
others  chose  to  call  "  Campbellites  "  would  have  to 
withdraw.  The  three  brethren  who  had  asked  the  use 
of  the  house,  thinking  it  best  if  possible  to  settle  the 
difference  between  the  pastor  and  themselves  so  that 
the  question  might  come  before  the  Church  unconnected 
with  private  differences,  waited  upon  him  the  next 
morning,  but  were  unable  to  come  to  any  understand- 
ing, he  still  maintaining  that  he  had  made  no  such 
promise,  and  they  that  he  had. 

On  Saturday  night,  February  4,  the  Church  con- 
vened, and  after  an  address  of  about  two  hours  from 


Thomas  CampbeWs  Visit  to  Eastern  Virginia     81 

the  pastor  he  concluded  by  offering  an  oral  resolution 
that  certain  members  who  were  said  to  have  imbibed 
the  sentiments  of  Alexander  Campbell  should  with- 
draw. After  some  discussion  an  amendment,  also 
oral,  was  offered  by  a  brother,  to  this  effect:  That 
all  those  members  of  the  Church  who  were  so  dissatis- 
fied with  their  brethren  on  account  of  their  opinions 
as  not  to  be  able  to  live  in  harmony  with  them,  be 
allowed  to  withdraw.  The  Church  soon  after  ad- 
journed, not  having  reached  any  definite  conclusion. 
On  Tuesday  night,  February  14,  they  again  met,  when 
the  following  preamble  and  resolution  was  offered  by 
the  pastor  in  writing: 

"Whereas  it  is  evident  that  a  party  has  arisen  in 
this  Church  entertaining  opinions  of  Scripture  doctrine 
and  Church  government  materially  different  from 
those  of  the  great  body  of  this  Church,  and  all  the 
Regular  Baptist  churches  in  Virginia;  and  whereas, 
out  of  these  discordant  opinions  and  views  a  state  of 
feeling  has  grown  very  unfavorable  to  the  peace, 
honor,  and  piety  of  the  Church:  therefore, 

^^  Resolved,  That  this  Church  earnestly  recommend 
to  those  who  have  embraced  these  new  doctrines 
and  opinions  to  withdraw  from  us  and  become  a  sepa- 
rate people,  worshiping  God  according  to  their  own 
views  of  propriety. 

"Simon  Frayser,  Clerk." 

The  brother  who  had  offered  the  amendment  of 
February  4  then  offered  it  in  writing.  The  amend- 
ment appeared  to  be  very  unpalatable.  After  much 
discussion  and  parliamentary  usages  never  before  heard 
of  the  amendment  was  sidetracked  without  ever 
6 


82  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

coming   to   a    v-ote   and   Elder   Kerr's   resolution   was 
adopted. 

On  the  Monday  or  Tuesday  night  following  many 
of  the  brethren  met  together  to  consult  as  to  what 
would  be  the  best  course  to  be  pursued  by  them. 
They  knew  that  about  eight  members,  in  whom  they 
had  high  confidence,  were  the  only  persons  whom 
the  Church  had  then  determined  to  get  rid  of,  and 
being  themselves  entirely  dissatisfied  with  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  majority,  and  further  believing  that  if 
these  brethren  were  removed  they  themselves  would 
have  to  renounce  their  belief,  or  in  turn  be  severally 
excluded,  they  determined  upon  the  following  pre- 
amble and  resolution: — 

''Whereas  a  resolution,  connected  with  a  preamble, 
stating  that  certain  members  entertaining  opinions 
of  Scripture  doctrine  and  Church  government  materi- 
ally different  from  the  great  body  of  the  Plrst  Baptist 
Church  and  all  the  Regular  Baptists  in  Virginia,  was, 
on  the  14th  of  February,  1832,  adopted  b}^  a  majority 
of  said  Church;  and  whereas  we  are  satisfied  that 
the  above  preamble  and  resolution  are  intended  to 
operate  upon  the  opinions  we  hold,  though  we  have 
disclaimed,  and  do  disclaim,  any  opinion  not  founded 
upon  the  New  Testament;  and  wiiereas  they  have 
invited  us  to  withdraw^;  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  we  whose  names  are  hereunto  sub- 
scribed do  withdraw  ourselves  from  the  First  Baptist 
Church." 

Appended  to  this  document  were  the  names  of 
sixty-eight  members  of  the  Church,  including  all  of 
the  trustees  and  many  other  prominent  and  influential 


Thomas  Campbell's  Visit  to  Eastern  Virginia     83 

members.  This  was  accepted  by  the  Church.  A 
subscription  hst  was  immediately  started  by  the 
reformers,  and  in  two  days  $2,000  had  been  subscribed 
for  a  new  meeting-house.  The  subscription  Hst  soon 
reached  15,000,  and  a  lot  was  purchased  on  Eleventh 
Street  between  Broad  and  Marshall,  and  adjoining 
the  City  Hall  and  Capitol.  On  this  site  a  brick  Church, 
fifty  by  seventy  feet,  was  erected.  From  a  large 
sycamore  tree  which  threw  its  refreshing  shade  over 
its  entrance  this  was  called  Sycamore  Church. 

Thus  began  the  restoration  in  Richmond.  David 
S.  Burnet  came  to  Richmond  soon  after  this  Church 
was  organized.  He  preached  in  the  County  Court- 
house until  the  meeting-house  was  completed  and 
became  the  first  minister  of  the  congregation  worshiping 
in  old  Sycamore  Church.  He  was  succeeded  by 
James  Henshall,  R.  Lindsay  Coleman,  and  others  of 
the  sainted  dead,  whose  memory  is  so  carefully  treas- 
ured in  the  hearts  of  our  Virginia  brotherhood.  God 
has  blessed  their  labors.  From  that  little  band  of 
sixty-eight  members  the  Gospel  has  become  the  power 
of  God  unto  the  salvation  of  some  twenty-five  hundred 
now  living  in  Richmond,  besides  the  many  who  have 
come  and  gone.  From  this  one  Church  have  sprung 
six  congregations.  But  like  the  grain  of  wheat  that 
dies  in  the  bringing  forth  more  abundant  fruit,  the 
Sycamore  Church  is  no  more. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    DOVER    DECREE. 

The  events  narrated  in  the  last  two  chapters  show 
that  the  relations  existing  in  Eastern  Virginia  between 
Baptists  and  those  known  as  reformers  were  becoming 
more  and  more  strained.  Under  the  existing  condi- 
tions it  needed  but  the  suggestion  to  launch  the  Baptist 
Churches  of  that  section  upon  a  course  that  savored 
strongly  of  the  ancient  spirit  of  Romish  bulls  and 
interdicts.  This  suggestion  was  given  in  the  fall  of 
1832,  just  before  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Dover 
Association,  by  Eli  Ball,  editor  of  the  Religious  Herald, 
when  he  pubUshed  an  editorial  in  which  he  advised 
the  necessity  of  casting  out  the  reformers  from  the 
Baptist  ranks,  at  the  coming  Association.  To  make 
the  work  of  ejection  doubly  sure  he  advised  the  packing 
of  the  jury  for  the  coming  meeting  of  the  Dover  Asso- 
ciation, and  admonished  the  brethren  not  to  send  any 
one  as  a  messenger  of  the  churches  who  was  suspected 
of  having  any  attachment  to  the  principles  of  reform. 
In  order  to  have  everything  in  readiness,  so  that  the 
time  of  the  association  might  not  be  consumed  in  con- 
sideration of  details,  or  the  object  sought  be  endan- 
gered by  too  much  open  discussion,  the  Decree  was 
drafted  in  Richmond  by  Elder  John  Kerr,  and  all 
the  arrangements  were  made  for  carrying  it  into  effect 
before  the  Association  met. 


The  Dover  Decree  85 

The  Dover  Association  of  1832  met  at  Four-Mile- 
Creek  Baptist  Church,  Henrico  count3^ 

When  the  Association  convened  a  committee  was 
appointed,  in  accordance  with  the  custom  of  such  asso- 
ciations, to  receive  the  letters  from  the  various  churches 
naming  their  delegates  and  reporting  their  general 
condition.  Five  of  the  churches  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Association  presented  a  report  representing 
the  churches  of  the  Association  as  in  the  most  dis- 
tracted and  disastrous  circumstances,  and  asking  that 
steps  be  taken  to  alleviate  the  conditions.  One 
member  of  the  committee  had  the  courage  to  oppose 
this  report  before  the  committee  with  the  six  following 
arguments : — 

1.  The  report  represented  the  churches  as  in  most 
distracted  and  disastrous  circumstances;  whereas  the 
letters  from  the  churches  to  the  Association  repre- 
sented them  as  in  peace  and  general  harmony. 

2.  But  if  the  letters  give  a  false  representation,  and 
they  were  actually  as  represented  in  the  report,  then 
the^  churches  themselves,  and  not  the  Association, 
could  take  the  proper  steps  to  obtain  peace. 

3.  That  it  was  expressly  contrary  to  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  Association  to  interfere  with  the  internal 
affairs  of  the  churches. 

4.  That  the  member  who  addressed  the  committee, 
though  generally  acquainted  throughout  the  Associa- 
tion, knew  of  no  person  who  maintained  the  things 
set  forth  in  the  report. 

5.  That  until  the  churches  were  consulted  to  know 
what  was  their  wish  in  the  case,  it  was  premature  to 
take  any  steps  upon  the  request  of  five  churches  who 
alone  wished  the  Association  to  take  up  the  subject. 


86  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

6.  That  it  was  unjust  to  take  any  final  step  at  the 
present  meeting,  because  many  churches  were  not 
represented  in  it. 

Argument  was,  however,  of  no  avail.  The  inevitable 
crisis  was  at  hand.  No  ecclesiastical  committee 
determined  on  proscription  was  ever  more  influenced 
by  reason  or  argument  than  that  committee  which 
reported  (with  their  fingers  in  their  ears)  in  favor  of 
the  stoning  of  Stephen. 

The  Dover  Association  convened  in  October,  1832, 
just  fifty-one  years  to  the  month  after  the  surrender 
of  Lord  Cornwallis  in  the  same  district.  In  the 
surrender  of  the  latter  political  liberty  was  vouchsafed, 
in  the  Dover  Association  religious  liberty  expired. 
Without  even  the  form  of  a  trial,  which  was  granted 
to  Christ  and  Paul  by  heathen  governors,  the  Dover 
Asssociation  passed  the  following  Decree: — 

*'We,  therefore,  the  assembled  ministers  and  dele- 
gates of  the  Dover  Association,  after  much  prayerful 
deliberation,  do  hereby  affectionately  recommend  to 
the  churches  in  our  connexion  to  separate  from  their 
comn^union  all  such  persons  as  are  promoting  contro- 
versy and  discord  under  the  specious  name  of  ''Re- 
formers." That  the  line  of  distinction  may  be  clearly 
drawn,  so  that  all  who  are  concerned  ma}'  understand 
it,  we  feel  it  our  duty  to  declare,  that,  whereas  Peter 
Ain.'=^lie,  John  Du  Val,  Matthew  W.  Webber,  Thomas 
M.  Henley,  John  Richards,  and  Dudley  Atkinson, 
ministers  within  the  bounds  of  this  Association,  have 
voluntarily  assumed  the  name  of  ''Reformers,"  in 
its  party  application,  by  attending  a  meeting  publich^ 
advertised  for  that  party,  and  by  communing  with 
and  otherwise  promoting  the  views  of  the  members 


The  Dover  Decree  87 

of  that  party,  who  have  been  separated  from  the  fellow- 
ship and  coniniunion  of  Regular  Baptist  Churches,— - 
"Resolved,  That  this  Association  cannot  consistently 
and  conscientiously  receive  them,  nor  any  other 
ministers  maintaining  their  views,  as  members  of  their 
body;  nor  can  they  in  future  act  in  concert  with  dele- 
gates from  any  Church  or  churches  that  may  encourage 
or  countenance  their  ministrations." 

In  the  preamble  to  this  decree  there  was  no  one 
fact  or  truth  of  the  Christian  religion  specified  which 
the  above  brethren  were  said  to  deny — no  one  error 
stated  which  they  were  said  to  hold.  But  they  were 
said  to  differ  ''in  their  views  of  faith,  repentance, 
regeneration,  baptism,  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
Church  government,  the  Christian  ministry,  and  the 
whole  scheme  of  Christian  benevolence,"  from  those 
who  issued  the  decree.  Regarding  these  points  of 
difference,  Mr.  Campbell  replied  as  follows  in  the 
Harhinger: 

"The  excommunicated  brethren,  with  whom  we 
are  proud  to  fraternize,  view  "sin"  as  the  transgression 
of  the  law;  "faith,"  as  the  belief  of  the  testimony  of 
God;  "repentance,"  as  sorrow  for  sin;  "regeneration," 
as  being  born  again;  "baptism,"  as  an  immersion 
into  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  on  confession  of  faith  in  Jesus,  for  the  remission 
of  sins;  "the  agency  of  the  Spirit,"  as  essential  to  the 
demonstration  of  the  mission  of  Jesus,  and  to  our  faith 
in  the  testimony  of  God;  "Church  government,"  as 
the  government  of  the  Church  by  the  laws  of  Jesus, 
executed  by  the  public  servants  of  the  Church;  "the 
Christian  ministry,"  as  the  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ, 
called  and  sent  by  his  authority;  "the  whole  scheme 
of  Christian  benevolence,"  as  the  Church  of  the  living 


88  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

God.  But  such  it  appears  are  not  the  views  of  John 
Kerr,  who,  it  is  pubhshecl  by  Eh  Ball,  had  the  honor 
to  pen  this  preamble  and  decree,  nor  of  those  v/ho 
voted  with  him  in  excluding  these  brethren  from 
what  they  call  the  "  Kingdom  of  God." 

The  die  was  cast.  Henceforth,  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Dover  Association  the  so-called  "Reformers" 
were  to  be  separate  and  distinct  from  the  Baptists. 
They  had  preferred  forbearance  and  peace  either  to 
separating  themselves  from  their  once  acknowledged 
brethren  or  to  separating  the  minority  of  any  Church 
from  their  communion.  They  were  willing,  in  the 
cause  of  peace,  to  be  known  as  Baptists,  but  now  they 
were  cast  out  of  that  communion;  they  were  still, 
however,  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  as 
disciples  of  their  excommunicated  chief  they  now 
took  upon  themselves  the  simple  name  of  "Christians" 
in  conformity  with  Acts  11:  26.  This  indeed  was 
one  of  the  reforms  they  had  urged  as  Baptists.  They 
did  not  assume  to  be  only  Christians,  but  forced  to 
cast  off  their  sectarian  or  divisional  name,  and  taking 
the  Bible  as  their  guidebook,  they  became  Christians 
only.  As  Abram,  when  called  of  God,  became  Abra- 
ham, Jacob  became  Israel,  and  Saul  was  called  Paul, 
so  the  "Disciples  were  called  Christians  first  at  An- 
tioch;"  and  the  reformers  in  Eastern  Virginia  were 
called  Christians  first  by  the  publication  of  the  Dover 
Decree. 

Much,  however,  as  the  Dover  Decree  affected  the 
position  of  the  reformers,  in  the  Baptist  denomination 
its  results  were  even  more  apparent.     The  adherents 


The  Dover  Decree  89 

of  the  latter  had  always  been  the  champions  of  relig- 
ious liberty,  but  they  now  forfeited  their  right  to  this 
title,  and  discord,  ever  the  result  of  extreme  restric- 
tion upon  a  liberty-loving  people,  reigned  in  their 
ranks.  In  order  to  show  some  of  the  results  of  this 
Decree,  as  also  the  spirit  of  the  times  that  made  its 
promulgation  possible,  we  may  well  notice  two  in- 
stances out  of  the  many  that  were  directly  attributable 
to  this  proscription.  The  first  records  its  effect  upon 
an  individual  congregation,  the  second  is  simply  an 
account  of  the  Dover  Association  of  the  following 
year,  1833. 

In  the  Baptist  Church  at  Petersburg,  in  1833,  the 
pastor,  Mr.  Valentine  Mason,  offered  two  resolutions, 
the  first  to  prevent  Alexander  Campbell  and  others 
(his  adherents)  from  being  permitted  to  preach  in  that 
Church;  the  second,  to  approve  of  the  Dover  Decree. 
In  consequence  of  these  resolutions  and  the  attendant 
stir  over  them,  three  brethren,  H.  J.  Anson,  A.  Pond, 
and  A.  Johnson,  fell  into  disrepute.  On  March  4  Mr. 
Mason,  the  pastor,  came  to  Bro.  Anson  to  have  a  friend- 
ly conversation,  in  the  course  of  which  he  acknowledged 
his  wrong  in  having  the  resolutions  passed,  and  asked 
Mr.  Anson  on  what  terms  he  would  come  back  to  work 
in  the  Church.  The  reply  was,  ''On  the  New  Testa- 
ment." This  met  with  the  approbation  of  the  pastor, 
and  a  Church  meeting  was  called  for  the  following 
Saturday  night,  at  which  the  former  resolutions  were 
rescinded,  not,  however,  without  considerable  oppo- 
sition.    Mr.  Anson  then  made  an  effort  to  return  into 


90  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

the  Church,  but  this  was  not  effected.  On  the  follow- 
ing Sunday  night  Mr.  Mason  announced  to  his  congre- 
gation that  he  would  leave  that  Church  and  the  Baptist 
denomination,  and  on  the  next  night  would  publicly 
give  his  reasons  for  so  doing.  After  he  had  dismissed 
some  of  his  members  prevailed  upon  him  not  to  do  so 
for  another  week,  to  which  he  consented.  The  Church 
then  called  a  council  of  ministers,  consisting  of  Messrs. 
Ball,  Kerr  and  Taylor,  Mr.  Mason  also  being  present, 
and  a  Church  meeting  was  held,  Mr.  Kerr  presiding. 
The  pastoral  question  was  discussed.  Mr.  Mason 
stated  that  he  was  at  a  loss  how  to  act  in  order  to  unite 
the  Church;  that  ''in  attempting  to  restore  to  the 
Church  one  party,  there  were  others  who  said  they 
would  leave  the  Church,  and  thus  he  was — knowing 
not  what  to  do — almost  crazy."  Mr.  Kerr  then  made 
an  apology  for  his  situation.  A  motion  was  made  to 
forgive  the  pastor,  which  was  accordingly  done.  He 
was  next  restored  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Church 
and  the  following  resolutions  offered: 

''Whereas  this  Church  has  been  unfortunately 
thrown  into  disorder  and  strife  by  certain  persons 
who  have  assumed  the  name  of  reformers,  and  who 
approve  and  support  the  leading  sentiments  of  Alex- 
ander Campbell: 

"Resolved,  That  we,  as  a  Church,  cannot  retain  or 
receive  into  our  fellowship  any  such  persons,  nor  will 
we  commune  at  the  Lord's  Table  with  them,  nor  will 
we  receive  into  our  pulpit  any  persons  who  shall 
privately  or  publicly  approve,  countenance,  or  en- 
courage said  sentiments. 

"And  be  it  further  resolved,  Having  suffered  sorely 
the  painful  effects  of  CampbelHsm,  and  having  delibe- 


The  Dover  Decree  91 

rately  and  solemnly  adopted  the  above  resolution,  we 
hereby  pledge  ourselves,  individually  and  collectively, 
to  carry  it  into  full  operation;  and  it  shall  be  deemed  a 
forfeiture  of  our  fellowship  for  any  member  to  move  to 
suspend  or  rescind  it." 

Mr.  Mason  was  the  first  one  to  address  the  meeting 
in  favor  of  the  passage  of  the  above  resolutions,  which 
would  have  made  Roger  Williams  blush  for  shame. 
He  was  again  satisfied,  from  what  Mr.  Kerr  had  told 
him,  that  the  Dover  Decree  was  right,  and  that  it  was 
passed  by  that  body  constitutionally;  and  now  he  was 
in  favor  of  abiding  b}^  it.  Mr.  Ball  next  advocated  the 
passage  of  the  resolutions.  He  spoke  much  against 
the  Christian  Baptist  and  the  Harbinger;  and  as  for  the 
new  translation  of  the  New  Testament, — 'Hhat  black 
thing,"  especially  the  prefaces  to  the  books  (written 
by  Mr.  Campbell) — ''could  you  but  see  it,"  (raising 
his  hand  and  pausing)  "Unitarianism!"  A  member 
of  the  church, then  arose  and  said  he  could  not  vote  for 
the  resolution;  he  had  heard  Mr.  Ainslie  preach,  and 
believed  that  he  preached  the  Gospel;  therefore,  he 
was  unwilling  to  become  the  means  of  preventing  him- 
self and  other  members  from  hearing  him  and  such 
like  men  preach;  at  any  rate,  he  wished  to  hear  and 
judge  for  himself. 

The  Moderator  (Mr.  Kerr)  next  arose,  and  highly 
complimented  the  member  for  his  candor.  He  then 
explained  the  intention  of  the  resolution  to  mean  the 
exclusion  of  all  who  should  be  opposed  to  its  adoption, 
and  who  would  not  be  satisfied  with  it  after  it  was 
adopted.     He  also  advised  the  members  not  to  read 


92  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

the  Harbinger,  saying,  ''It  is  necessar}^,  however,  that 
I  should  read  it,  I  being  a  watchman  on  the  walls  of 
Zion,  and  therefore  I  take  it  regularly."  Mr.  Ball  also 
remarked,  ''The  Harbinger  comes  to  my  offce  as  an 
exchange  paper,  and  I  read  it  because  I  hate  it." 
These  are  certainly  two  unique  reasons  for  reading  a 
religious  paper.  The  resolutions  were  finally  passed, 
with  three  dissenting  votes,  and  these  three  were  forth- 
with dismissed  from  fellowship. 

The  second  illustration  of  the  results  of  the  Dover 
proscription  is  found,  as  before  stated,  in  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Dover  Association  of  1833,  and  bears  more 
of  the  stamp  of  the  ridiculous  than  of  the  harmful. 
The  Association  convened  at  Williamsburg  in  October. 
Andrew  Broaddus  presided,  but  his  situation  was  a 
rather  unhappy  one  as  Moderator  of  a  vast  ecclesias- 
tical body  which,  like  all  humanly  devised  machinery, 
had  no  sympathetic  feeling,  no  bowels  of  mercy.  The 
lion  that  he  had  been  prodding  for  several  years  had  at 
last  been  roused  from  its  lair,  and  now  this  self-styled 
keeper  of  the  faith  found  difficulty  in  restraining  the 
great  dogmatic  beast.  The  first  item  of  business  was 
the  reading,  by  request,  of  the  Decree  of  the  previous 
year,  denouncing  six  of  the  most  worthy  men  in  Vir- 
ginia, together  with  all  Baptists  or  churches  who  would 
deign  to  offer  them  a  cup  of  cold  water,  or  even  listen 
to  the  Gospel  from  their  lips.  Immediately  after  the 
reading  several  speakers  arose  and  gave  it  as  their 
opinion  that,  according  to  the  form  and  spirit  of  the 
resolutions,  several  churches,  who,  they  understood, 
remonstrated  in  their  letters  to  this  Association  against 


The  Dover  Decree  93 

the  unconstitutionality  of  last  year's  action,  were  cut 
off  from  the  Association  and  had  no  right  to  representa- 
tion. But  as  the  letters  lay  unopened  at  this  time 
upon  the  table  in  an  undistinguishable  mass,  it  would 
be  difficult  to  determine  which  of  them  should  be  con- 
signed to  the  flames,  and  which  of  their  bearers  should 
be  ecclesiastically  decapitated.  Various  suggestions 
were  offered,  and  in  the  multitude  of  counsel  there 
might  have  been  found  the  desired  safety,  had  not  one 
of  the  party,  who,  presumably,  had  not  been  present 
with  the  lobbyists  in  their  pre-breakfast  council,  asked 
whether  the  Association  could  attend  to  any  business 
before  the  letters  were  read,  as  they  contained  the  ele- 
ments of  which  the  body  was  to  be  organized.  Both 
Moderator  and  moderated  were  much  perplexed.  The 
Chair  was  disconcerted  by  such  a  rational  suggestion. 
and  the  movers  and  the  moved  dismayed.  The  Mod- 
erator seems  to  have  forgotten  the  plan  laid  down  before 
breakfast  that  morning  at  the  Raleigh  Tavern,  and  he 
unwittingly  threw  himself  between  the  lines.  Thus  ex- 
posed to  opposing  fires,  nothing  but  his  great  tenacity 
of  purpose  and  the  exhibition  of  much  excitement  en- 
abled him  to  decide  that,  the  old  Moderator  and  Clerk 
being  present,  the  Association  could  pass  resolutions  if 
they  desired.  Just  at  this  point  a  lawyer,  suspected  of 
heresy,  moved  that  all  doubtful  letters  be  laid  on  the 
table  until  the  others  were  read,  after  which  they  could 
have  a  hearing  and  their  destinies  be  decided.  This 
was  well  approved,  but  the  Moderator,  in  stating  it, 
discovered  a  new  difficulty.  He  could  not  see  how  the 
body,  not  now  organized,  could  by  motion  control  its 


94  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

proceedings  subsequent  to  organization;  and  he  cur- 
tailed the  resokition  accordingly  by  striking  out  the 
last  clause,  and  in  this  form  it  was  finally  carried.  The 
desired  end  of  all  this  quibbling  and  squabbUng  was  to 
obtain  parliamentary  law  that  would  justify  actions 
which  could  not  be  justified  by  common  sense  or  the 
Spirit  of  Christ.  About  ten  churches  were  eventually 
excluded  from  the  Association,  or  turned  over  to  the 
mercies  of  inquisitorial  special  committee  torture,  at 
whose  hands  they  could  be  reinstated  to  fellowship  with 
the  Association  by  recanting  and  dismissing  the  here- 
tics from  their  midst. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ORGANIZATION   AND  PROGRESS. 

The  publication  of  the  Dover  Decree  gave  a  forward 
impetus  to  the  movement  for  the  restoration  of  the 
principles  and  practices  of  the  Apostles,  in  Eastern  Vir- 
ginia. It  was  a  confession  of  the  inability  of  Baptists' 
principles  to  hold  their  own  members.  Bro.  Peter 
Ainslie  was  employed  by  the  Christian  churches  of  the 
Tidewater  District  in  the  fall  of  1832  to  act  as  general 
evangelist  of  Eastern  Virginia.  He  was  to  set  the 
churches  in  order  and  organize  new  congregations 
wherever  possible.  Bro.  William  Bootwright,  of  Rich- 
mond, was  appointed  to  receive  contributions  both 
from  the  churches  and  from  individuals  for  the  support 
of  Bro.  Ainslie.  who  did  excellent  work  in  this  capacity 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  LSSo. 
The  year  1833  marked  a  rapid  advance  in  the  history 
of  the  restoration.  New  congregations  were  organ- 
ized at  Culpeper,  Fredericksburg,  Lower  and  Upper 
College  Church,  in  King  William  county;  also  one  in 
Mangohick  district,  one  in  Essex  and  one  in  Caroline 
county,  and  a  union  church  from  the  old  Bruington 
congregation.  Several  of  these  were  entirely  new  con- 
gregations, while  others  were  formed  by  expulsion  from 
the  Baptists. 

At  Fredericksburg  a  party  of  Calvinists  became  dis- 
affected at  the  views  held  by  thirteen  of  the  members 
of  the  Baptist  Church  at  that  place.     They  accordingly 


96  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

drew  aloof  and  declared  themselves  to  be  the  Church 
and  the  others  schismatics.  They  then  invited  P.  Mon- 
tague, A.  W.  Clopton,  John  Kerr  and  others  to  come 
and  act  as  a  council  to  decide  matters,  and  the  result 
was  three  resolutions,  as  follow^s:  1,  declaring  non-fel- 
lowship w^th  Alexander  Campbell;  2,  declaring  non- 
fellowship  with  all  who  held  him  in  fellowship;  and,  3, 
making  it  unlawful  to  invite  into  the  pulpit  any 
preacher  holding  the  sentiments  advanced  by  Mr.  Camp- 
bell. The  result  was  a  new  congregation  of  Christians 
only  at  Fredericksburg,  and  by  the  winter  of  1833  they 
had  erected  a  neat  and  commodious  brick  meeting-house 
on  the  ground  on  which  the  old  theatre  had  stood.  This 
cost  $2,500,  and  all  but  $500  of  the  amount  was  raised 
during  that  year.  This  congregation  started  with  fif- 
teen members,  and  in  one  year  had  increased  to  thirty- 
six. 

In  April,  1833,  the  first  general  attempt  at  a  co-op- 
erative meeting  in  Eastern  Virginia  was  made.  This 
meeting  was  held  at  Acquintain  Church,  in  King  Wil- 
liam county,  and  lasted  from  Friday  till  Monday  after- 
noon. About  sixteen  proclaimers  of  the  Gospel  were 
present,  and  the  greater  part  of  them  addressed  the  as- 
semblage. About  seven  hundred  disciples  of  Jesus 
broke  bread  on  the  Lord's  Day.  The  scene  was  very 
impressive,  not  to  say  unusual.  They  were  neither 
open  nor  close  communionists ;  the}'  sought  not  to  usurp 
the  authority  of  the  Lord  at  his  table,  nor  did  they  sit 
in  judgment  one  on  another  to  decide  each  other's  fit- 
ness to  partake.  The  table  was  the  Lord's;  Let 
every  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat,  and  so 


Organization  and  Progress  97 

let  him  drink.  The  simplicit}^  and  liarniony  that 
prevailed  among  the  disciples  on  this  occasion  was 
marked  by  all  present.  They  had  agreed  to  walk  in 
the  light  of  God's  word  and  be  guided  by  it  alone,  thus 
were  untroubled  by  the  thought  that  some  one  might 
stand  up  in  their  midst  and  by  Scriptural  quotation 
overthrow  some  of  the  foundation  stones  of  their  faith. 
For  many  years  Associations  and  Conventions  of  the 
religious  bodies  of  Eastern  Virginia  had  been  the  scenes 
of  turmoil  and  dissent.  They  had  been  lorded  over  by 
ecclesiastical  popes,  and  their  records  were  filled  with 
by-laws  and  decrees.  The  present  instance  was  a  nota- 
ble exception,  the  beginning  of  a  new  order  of  things. 
No  laws  or  regulations,  constitution  or  decrees,  were 
enacted.  The  Bible  settled  all  disputes  if  any  arose. 
They  walked  in  the  freedom  of  the  truth  and  were 
free  indeed.  The  right  of  free  speech  was  granted 
to  all  as  far  as  time  would  permit.  In  short,  the 
gathering  was  a  practical  exhibition  of  the  princi- 
ples for  which  the  disciples  of  Christ  contended, 
in  doctrine,  regulations,  unity,  peace,  hospitality, 
preaching,  decorum,  spirituality,  forbearance,  liberty 
and  love.  It  was  such  as  might  be  expected  to 
result  from  a  close  study  and  application  of  the  Word 
of  God.  Not  that  all  were  perfect,  but  they  had  sub- 
mitted themselves  to  a  perfect  system  rather  than  be 
governed  by  a  human,  and  therefore  an  imperfect  one. 
This  meeting,  being  the  first  general  attempt  at  co- 
operation, is  worthy  of  a  more  extensive  notice,  but 
details  of  it  are  meagre.  The  time  was  occupied  mainly 
with  sermons  from  the  various  preachers  present.  The 
7 


98  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneei^s  in  Virginia 

salvation  of  souls  was  not  lost  sight  of,  and  several  made 
the  good  confession.  One  old  brother  by  the  name  of 
Short,  sixty-five  years  of  age,  trembling  in  limb  and 
with  feeble  voice,  exhorted  the  brethren  in  simplicity 
and  godly  sincerity.  He  said  he  felt  for  his  Baptist 
brethren,  having  himself  lived  so  long  under  the  sys- 
tems of  men.  He  was  now  resolved  to  die  in  the  ser- 
vice of  his  Tvord  and  King.  As  a  result  of  the  meeting, 
Bro.  Peter  Ainslie  agreed  to  continue  his  work  as  evan- 
gelist. Many  urgent  appeals  were  received  and  read 
from  all  over  the  State,  asking  that  the  ancient  Gospel 
might  be  preached  in  the  communities  represented. 
The  meeting  adjourned  to  meet  in  Richmond,  in  Oc- 
tober. 

Closely  connected  with  the  "Organization  and  Prog- 
ress" of  the  work  in  the  Tidewater  district  is  the  history 
of  what  is  now  known  as  Olive  Branch  Church.  This 
congregation  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  that  district,  and 
its  origin  is  so  largely  due  to  the  actions  of  the  Dover 
Association  of  1833,  mentioned  in  the  last  chapter,  that 
we  record  it  here. 

In  1830  Mrs.  Catharine  Norville  Henley,  then  living 
in  James  City  county,  after  a  careful  study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  some  conversation  with  Thomas  M.  Henley, 
became  convinced  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Christian 
rehgion,  and  desired  to  be  baptized.  Her  husband, 
who  was  a  brother  of  T.  M.  Henley,  and,  like  him, 
had  been  reared  an  Episcopalian,  gave  reluctant  con- 
sent, and  wrote  for  his  brother  to  come  and  baptize  her. 
Following  the  baptism,  Bro.  Thomas  Henley  conducted 
prayer-meeting   in  her  home,  and  her  brother,  G.  B. 


Organization  and  Progress  99 

Lightfoot,  together  with  E.  R.  Coke,  obeyed  Christ. 
These  three  began  to  hold  meetings  in  an  unoccupied 
house,  and  regularly  observed  the  Lord's  Supper. 
They  were  soon  joined  by  others,  among  whom  were 
some  Baptists  who  had  settled  in  the  neighborhood 
and  had  no  church  home  nearer  than  Williamsburg. 
Bro.  R.  H.  Whitaker,  Sr.,  whom  A.  Campbell  called  the 
"Indefatigable  Brother  Whitaker,"  used  to  come  nearly 
twenty  miles  to  meet  with  them.  At  this  time,  which 
was  previous  to  the  publication  of  the  Dover  Decree, 
this  was  a  Baptist  Church,  although  held  in  suspicion 
by  the  regular  orthodox  Baptists. 

The  passage  of  the  Dover  Decree  did  not  suit  the 
liberal  views  of  these  disciples  of  Jesus,  but  they  waited 
patiently  for  the  proper  time  to  arrive  in  which  to  ex- 
press their  disapprobation.  Accordingly,  in  October, 
1833,  they  sent  Brethren  Robert  Morris,  Wm.  Jones, 
and  John  Ratcliffe  as  messengers  to  the  Association 
meeting  at  Williamsburg  with  the  following  letter: 

''  James  City  Church  to  the  Dover  Association  to  be 
held  at  Zion's  Church  in  the  city  of  Williamsburg  on 
the  2Uh  inst.,  sendeth  Christian  salutations. 

''Dear  Brethren: — We  thank  our  Heavenly  Father 
that  His  providential  care  has  been  over  us  through 
the  changing  scenes  of  another  year,  and  that  we  are 
once  more  permitted  to  correspond  w4th  you  by  letter 
and  delegates.  Though  we  have  nothing  very  remark- 
able to  state,  we  can  say  that  an  unusual  degree  of  love 
and  union  exists  among  us,  having  gotten  over  the  dis- 
cord and  prejudice  which  were  caused  by  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  last  association.     We  have  chosen  Brethren 


100  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Robert  Morris,  William  M.  Jones  and  John  Ratcliffe  to 
sit  with  you  in  your  deliberations,  whom  we  unani- 
mously instruct  to  use  all  the  influence  which  they 
are  capable  of  using  to  rescind  those  resolutions  passed 
by  the  last  Association  in  relation  to  the  exclusion  of 
Brethren  Ainslie,  DuVal,  Richards,  Webber,  Henley 
and  Atkinson,  the  most  of  whom  we  are  personally 
acquainted  with,  and  whom  we  hold  near  and  dear  to 
us,  and  have  often  heard  them  preach,  and  do  not  be- 
lieve THAT  THEY  TEACH  DOCTRINES  EITHER  DEMORALIZ- 
ING OR  disorganizing;  and  therefore  we  pray  that  you 
may  reconsider  the  matter.  And  they  are  also  in- 
structed to  cause  you,  if  possible,  to  revoke  the  resolu- 
tion which  sa3^s  "that  this  Association  cannot  con- 
sistent! 3^  and  conscientiously  receive  them,  nor  any 
other  minister  maintaining  their  views,  as  members  of 
their  body;  nor  can  it  in  the  future  act  in  concert  with 
delegates  from  any  church  or  churches  that  may  en- 
courage or  countenance  their  ministrations."  Brethren, 
we  do  not  think  that  difference  of  opinion  should  be  a 
bar  to  fellowship;  and  as  to  the  ministrations  of  the 
above  named  brethren,  we  trust  we  shall  never  in  the 
slightest  degree  discourage  or  discountenance,  so  long 
as  they  teach  what  we  have  heard  fi'om  them.  We 
will  now  close  by  giving  the  number,  etc. 

"May  the  Lord  be  with  you  and  direct  you  by  His 
word  in  the  path  of  truth  unto  the  end. 

"Signed,  by  oj-der  of  the  Church, 

"John  Ratcliffe,  Clerk." 

This  was  one  of  the  letters  that  were  laid  aside  on 
suspicion  at  the  Dover  Association,  as  mentioned  in  the 
last  chapter,  and  when  opened  and  read,  the  odium  of 
forgery  was  deliberately  cast  upon  Bro.  Ratcliffe. 
Upon  the  return  and  report  of  the  delegates  to  the 


Organization  and  Progress  101 

church  the  letter  was  compared  with  that  entered  upon 
the  church  record,  and  found  to  be  Hke  it  in  every  par- 
ticular. The  congregation,  then,  by  a  unanimous  vote, 
declared  that  the  above  letter  had  been  written  accord- 
ing to  the  instructions  of  the  church,  that  it  was  the 
church  letter,  and  that,  therefore,  their  delegate  could 
not,  in  the  slightest  degree,  be  charged  with  forgery  or 
improper  conduct  in  relation  thereto. 

Bro.  George  B.  Lightfoot  then  moved  ''that  the 
Church  do  now  withdraw  from  the  Association. ' '  Four- 
teen members  withdrew  and  six  thought  it  best  to  re- 
main with  the  Association.  This  was  the  beginning  of  a 
growing  church.  The  present  Olive  Branch  m.eeting- 
house  was  built  in  1845.  Sister  Henley  continued  her 
earnest  labors  for  this  church  until  her  death.  She 
lived  to  see  her  husband  submit  to  the  yoke  of  the  lowly 
Nazarene,  as  also  many  of  her  friends. 

During  the  months  of  September  and  October,  1833, 
Bro,  D.  S.  Burnet,  who  was  then  preaching  at  Syca- 
more Church,  Richmond,  made  a  preaching  tour 
through  about  a  dozen  of  the  counties  between  there 
and  the  bay  coast.  He  baptized  about  sixty  penitents 
and  did  great  good  by  his  simple  yet  powerful  presenta- 
tion of  the  Gospel.  In  Norfolk  he  preached  in  the 
court-house  to  large  audiences,  and  great  interest  was 
manifested,  insomuch  that  the  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church  at  that  place  voted  down,  by  a  large  ma- 
jority, a  series  of  proscriptive  resolutions  submitted 
and  pleaded  for  by  their  pastor.  He  arrived  at  Wil- 
liamsburg about  the  time  of  the  session  of  the  Associa- 
tion, and  preached  in  the  court-house.     At  the  request 


102  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

of  a  number  of  citizens  he  preached  twice  each  day 
throughout  the  week.  Such  was  the  interest  that  the 
house  at  no  service  could  hold  all  who  came.  The  re- 
sult of  this  tour  was  to  correct  many  of  the  misrepre- 
sentations that  had  been  made  concerning  the  teaching 
of  Mr.  Campbell  and  his  co-workers.  Bro.  Burnet 
returned  to  Richmond  in  due  time  to  be  present  at  the 
co-operative  meeting,  along  with  the  Campbells  and 
other  leading  brethren. 

On  October  4,  1833,  Alexander  Campbell,  together 
with  his  father  and  son,  also  Dr.  B.  F.  Hall,  Robert  Y. 
Henley,  and  M.  L.  Henley,  left  Bethany  on  a  tour  to 
Eastern  Virginia,  to  be  in  attendance  at  the  co-operative 
meeting  to  be  held  in  Richmond,  October  25,  26  and  27. 
Passing  safely  over  the  mountains,  they  arrived  in  Fred- 
ericksburg Saturday,  October  12.  Their  announce- 
ment had  not  arrived  there,  and  therefore  their  coming 
was  unexpected.  Bro.  Ainslie,  who  happened  to  be  in 
town,  preached  to  a  small  audience  that  night.  On 
Sunday  A.  Campbell  preached  in  the  morning,  Thomas 
Campbell  in  the  afternoon,  and  Dr.  Hall  at  night. 
They  remained  there  over  Monday  and  preached  to 
large  congregations.  One  lady  was  immersed  in  the 
Rappahannock  river.  From  Fredericksburg  the}^  pro- 
ceeded to  the  "Bowling  Green,"  in  Carohne  county, 
Vv^here  they  preached  in  Antioch  Church.  This  congrega- 
tion was  a  new  one  that  arose  out  of  the  world  by  the 
instrumentality  of  the  old  Gospel,  and  never  was  con- 
nected with  the  Baptists.  They  then  numbered  about 
forty  members,  and  had  built  a  commodious  brick 
meeting-house,  thirty-two  by  forty  feet  in  size,  a  little 


Organization  and  Pi^ogress  103 

below  the  present  Bowling  Green.     Bro.   Ainslie  oc- 
casionally preached  for  them  at  that  time.     From  here 
the  party  proceeded  fourteen  miles  to  Newton,  King 
and  Queen  county,  where  they  preached  to  an  atten- 
tive congregation  in  the  yard  adjoining  the  home  of 
Bro.   Lee  Roy  Boulware.     A  congregation  had  been 
recently  organized  there,  and  at  the  time  of  this  visit 
several  had  been  added  and  some  seven  or  eight  hundred 
dollars  raised  for  the  erection  of  a  meeting-house,  which 
was  built  the  following  summer,  and  was  known  as 
Old  Horeb.     This  church  prospered  until  the  war  broke 
out,  but  the  house  is  now  gone  and  but  few  live  to  tell 
of  its  former  days.     At  the  home  of  Bro.  T.  M.  Henley 
the  brethren  next  proclaimed  the  Gospel,  and  here  they 
tarried  three  days,  preaching  also  at  Rappahannock 
and  Smyrna  Churches.     At  both  of  these  places  the 
brethren  had  recently  erected  neat  and  commodious 
brick  buildings.     The  party  from  there  pushed  on  to 
Richmond,   preaching  on  the  way  at  Aquintain  and 
Bethesda.     This  latter   congregation   was  formerly   a 
part  of  the  old  Black  Creek  Baptist  Church,  which  had 
two  places  of  meeting.     When  they  separated  they 
divided  the  spoils,  and  this  meeting-house  became  the 
property  of  about  one  hundred  Christians  constituting 
Bethesda  Church.     This  was  located  about  ten  miles 
from  Richmond,  and  here  the  party  was  joined  by  Bro. 
Burnet.     They  proceeded  to  the  home  of  Bro.  Curtis 
Carter,  some  four  miles  from  the  city,  and  the  next 
evening  arrived  in  Richmond. 

By  previous  appointment  Bro.  A.  Campbell  preached 
the  ni2:ht  before  the  convention  opened.     His  thoughts 


104  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

were  introductor}^  to  the  object  of  the  meeting  to  be 
commenced  the  next  day.  He  spoke  of  God's  com- 
munications to  men — the  variet}^  of  messages  He  had 
sent — the  persons  by  whom  sent — the  manner  in 
which  He  had  spoken  to  men — the  intelhgibihty  of 
His  addresses — their  suitableness  to  our  condition — 
and,  above  all,  the  profound  reverence  with  which 
his  last  communication  to  men  by  his  Son  should 
be  regarded. 

Next  morning  the  meeting  was  opened  with  an 
address  by  Father  Campbell.  Two  sermons  were 
preached  each  day  by  such  able  men  as  Dr.  Hall,  Dr. 
DuVal,  Brethren  Burnet,  Ainslie,  and  Albert  Anderson, 
of  Spottsylvania.  There  were  from  one  to  two  sessions 
each  day  of  the  brethren  representing  the  different 
congregations,  to  hear  the  history  of  the  progress  of 
the  cause  in  their  respective  vicinities.  Representa- 
tives of  sixteen  congregations  were  present.  These 
congregations  were  scattered  over  a  district  of  country 
running  from  Fredericksburg  to  the  Seaboard.  The 
account  from  these  churches  was  not  sufficiently  de- 
tailed to  give  a  full  view  of  their  labors,  nor  were  six 
or  seven  churches  in  the  same  district  which  were 
known  to  have  recently  throw  ofT  the  yoke  of  human 
authority  heard  from  at  all. 

The  congregations  represented  constituted  about 
twelve  hundred  disciples,  and  seemed  generally  awaking 
to  the  importance  of  giving  more  liberally  of  their 
means  in  order  that  more  laborers  might  be  put  into  the 
field  to  proclaim  the  ancient  gospel.  In  this  region 
there  were  about  fourteen  proclaimers  of  the  Word, 


Organization  and  Progress  105 

but  few  of  whom  spent  their  entire  time  in  the  work. 
Bro.  Ainslie,  who,  for  the  past  eighteen  months,  had 
been  the  only  laborer  constantly  in  the  field,  found  the 
field  too  large,  and  but  little  could  be  effected  in  the 
way  of  organization  by  labors  scattered  over  such  a 
territory. 

Bro.  D.  S.  Burnet,  whose  preaching  tour  had  been 
productive  of  so  much  good,  was  importuned  to  take 
up  steady  work  in  the  field,  but  for  some  reason  did 
not  do  so. 

This  meeting  was  very  beneficial  in  cultivating  the 
spirit  of  unity  and  interdependence  among  the  churches. 
During  its  progress  twenty-five  persons  w^ere  added 
to  the  Sycamore  Church — sixteen  by  primary  obedience 
and  nine  from  the  Baptist  churches  of  Richmond  and 
vicinity. 

After  the  close  of  the  meeting  in  Richmond,  Father 
Campbell  and  Dr.  Hall  departed  for  North  Carolina. 
A.  Campbell  continued  preaching  in  Richmond  for  a 
few  days,  and  then  started  for  Amelia  county,  where 
was  to  be  held  a  gathering  of  the  disciples  of  that 
district.*  He  stopped  first  at  Deep  Run  Church,  about 
twelve  miles  from  Richmond,  with  Bro.  DuVal.  This 
Church  had  long  been  in  a  state  of  fermentation,  a 
majority  being  in  favor  of  reformation.  Mr.  Ball  was 
the  pastor  there,  and  during  the  meeting  at  Richmond 
he  had  held  a  four  days'  opposition  meeting  at  Deep 
Run,  which  passed  off  without  a  single  convert.  Pre- 
viously to  Mr.  Campbell's  visit  to  this  Church  a  com- 
mittee, under  the  auspices  of  Mr.  Ball,  had  waited 
upon  all  the  members  who  read  the  Harbinger,  to  lay 


106  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

before  them  the  danger  and  iniquity  of  reading  that 
' 'pernicious  and  infidel  pubHcation,"  (the  exact  words 
used).  Mr.  Ball  also  supplicated  and  exhorted,  and 
even  commanded  the  Church  not  to  hear  Mr.  Campbell 
preach.  He  said  it  would  hurt  his  feelings  if  they 
went  to  hear  him.  Without  knowledge  of  these 
circumstances,  Mr.  Campbell  preached  on  I  John,  4 — 
'^Believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits.''  Mr. 
Ball's  faithful  servants  obeyed  orders  and  stayed  at 
home,  but  a  good  audience  was  present  notwithstand- 
ing. 

About  six  months  after  this  the  Regulars  drew  up 
certain  resolutions  against  the  Harbinger  and  requested 
all  members  of  the  Church  to  sign  them.  All  who 
refused  they  turned  out  of  the  Church.  Thus  the 
majority,  who  had  long  refused  to  take  any  action 
against  the  minority,  were  turned  out  by  the  minority. 
Aided  by  Bro.  Ainslie,  they  organized  a  Christian 
church  of  seventeen  members,  and  were  soon  joined 
by  others. 

Bro.  Campbell  proceeded  from  Dry  Run  to  the  home 
of  Bro.  Pascal  L.  Townes,  in  Amelia,  and  from  there 
to  Bro.  Jeter's,  at  Paine ville,  where  the  meeting  was  held 
in  an  old  free  church  erected  by  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land in  colonial  times.  This  building  had  been  seized 
after  the  Revolutionary  War  by  the  Commonwealth, 
and  made  free  for  all  parties.  During  the  three  days' 
meeting  there,  four  were  baptized. 

From  Amelia  they  returned  to  Richmond,  visiting 
on  the  way  several  points  in  Goochland  and  Powhatan 
counties.     Most  of  the  preaching  through  this  section 


Organization  and  Progress  107 

was  done  in  private  houses  or  in.  the  open  air.  On 
Wednesday  morning,  November  13,  at  dawn,  they 
boarded  the  steamer  Patrick  Henry  and  went  down  the 
James  to  Jamestown.  While  on  their  way  to  the 
steamer  they  beheld  the  wonderful  meteoric  shower 
of  1833.  Writing  of  this  event,  Mr.  Campbell  said: 
"It  literally  rained  meteors  for  some  hours  before  day, 
and  about  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  scene  was 
beautiful  and  subHme  beyond  description."  Leaving 
Jamestown  they  journeyed  by  land,  preaching  as  they 
went  at  Williamsburg,  Yorktown  and  Hampton.  At 
Norfolk  the  party  were  joined  by  Father  Campbell  and 
Dr.  Hall,  who  had  been  making  a  tour  of  North  Caro- 
lina. 

The  work  in  Norfolk  began  in  the  spring  of  1832,  when 
J.  R.  McCall  held  a  meeting  in  the  Baptist  Church, 
which  lasted  six  weeks  and  resulted  in  many  conver- 
sions. Mr.  McCall  was  in  sympathy  with  the  restora- 
tion in  its  attitude  against  human  creeds,  but  he  could 
not  agree  with  the  reformers  concerning  the  operation 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  While  in  Norfolk  he  used  the 
mourners'  bench,  but,  notwithstanding  this  fact,  some 
branded  him  as  a  ''Campbellite."  He  left  Virginia  soon 
afterward  and  went  to  Mississippi.  In  the  summer 
of  1833  Dr.  Hall  proclaimed  the  Word  with  general 
acceptance  in  the  Baptist  Church.  Bro.  Burnet 
preached  a  few  discourses  in  the  court-house  while  on 
his  preaching  tour  in  September  of  the  same  year,  and 
such  was  his  influence  that  the  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church  voted  down  the  series  of  resolutions  submitted 


108  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

and  pleaded  for  by  their  pastor,  Mr.  HowelL  as  already 
mentioned. 

When  Mr.  Campbell  and  his  party  arrived  in  Norfolk 
they  found  that  Mr.  Howell's  party  had  already  been  at 
work,  and  arranged  for  other  meetings  in  the  court-house 
on  Lord's  Day.  Mr.  Campbell  spoke  in  the  court-house 
on  Saturday  evening.  Sunday  morning  they  crossed 
over  to  Portsmouth  and  preached,  and  in  the  after- 
noon again  made  use  of  the  court-house  in  Norfolk, 
The  reformation  gained  many  friends  and  adherents  at 
this  time,  although  some  years  passed  before  a  dis- 
tinct work  was  organized  in  Norfolk.  On  Monday 
morning  Mr.  Campbell  and  his  party  left  Virginia  for 
Maryland  and  the  North. 

The  year  1833  marks  the  thorough  establishment  of 
the  restoration  in  Virginia.  Truly  it  was  a  fruitful 
season. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

DEFECTION    OF    DR.    THOMAS. 

In  the  summer  of  1834  occurred  a  schism  in  the  ranks 
that  seemed  for  a  time  Ukely  to  become  a  great  hin- 
drance to  the  work.  Dr.  John  Thomas  was  an  EngUsh- 
man  by  birth,  and  had  come  to  this  country  a  few 
years  before.  He  was  well  educated,  being  an  M.  D., 
and  was  also  well  versed  in  theology.  We  will  let 
his  own  words  tell  the  story  of  his  uniting  with  the 
reformers : 

"When  at  sea"  (on  his  way  to  America,  beating  on 
the  sands  of  Sable  Island  in  imminent  peril  of  ship- 
wreck) ''and  surrounded  by  the  subjects  of  despair, 
my  vow  ascended  to  Heaven  that  if  ever  I  was  per- 
mitted to  set  foot  on  terra  firma,  I  would  not  rest 
until  I  found  the  true  religion.  Circumstances  led  me 
to  Cincinnati.  I  set  out  upon  a  tour  of  the  religious 
houses  of  that  city.  I  went  first  to  the  Baptist  Church, 
under  the  superintendence  of  W.  Ljmd.  The  food 
was  husky;  I  could  by  no  means  swallow  it.  I  next 
heard  Bro.  Challen.  I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe 
the  satisfaction  I  experienced  in  listening  to  his  address. 
They  said  he  was  a  ''Campbellite."  I  had  never 
heard  of  such  ites  as  these  in  England,  though  I  remem- 
bered a  caution  1  once  received  from  a  Baptist  preacher 
in  New  York  to  beware  of  Campbellism.  You  know 
I  am  of  rather  an  independent  turn;  in  fact,  I  once 
belonged  to  the  Independents,  and  therefore  the  name 
had  no  terrors  for  me. 

''But,  thought  I,  if  what  I  have  heard  be  Camp- 
bellism, it  is  one  of  the  most  delightful,   scriptural. 


1 10  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

intelligible  isms  I  ever  lieard  dpfended.  I  determined 
to  hear  it  again.  In  the  meantime,  Bro.  Scott  encoun- 
tered me  and  baptized  me,  not  into  your  ism,  but  into 
Christ,  and  thus  I  became  a  Christian,  and  found  at 
last  the  true  religion." 

Soon  afterward  Dr.  Thomas  moved  to  Philadelphia 
and  began  the  pubhcation  of ''7'/ie  Apostolic  Advocate/' 
a  monthl}'  periodical  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the 
restoration  of  primitive  Christianity. 

He  subsequently  made  a  few  evangelizing  tours  in 
Virginia,  and  was  called  to  the  charge  of  the  Sycamore 
Church,  Richmond,  in  1835.  Late  in  the  summer  of 
the  same  year  he  began  to  practice  and  advocate  the 
reimmersion  of  all  who  came  from  the  Baptists,  and 
soon  had  reimmersed  three  deacons  and  several  mem- 
bers of  Sycamore  Church.  Bro.  Albert  Anderson,  an 
earnest  preacher  of  primitive  Christianity,  was  also 
reimmersed.  Bro.  Campbell  clearly  demonstrated  the 
uselessness  of  the  act,  but  owing  to  the  times  he  de- 
clined to  enter  into  a  discussion  with  Dr.  Thomas, 
through  their  respective  papers,  on  so  unimportant 
a  matter.  He  felt  that  such  a  discussion  would  give 
too  much  publicity  to  the  defection,  and  preferred  to 
put  it  off  for  the  time. 

It  was  intimated  by  the  Baptists  in  Richmond  that 
A.  Campbell  winked  at  errors  in  a  reformer  that  would 
be  openly  rebuked  in  an  alien.  Mr.  Campbell  then 
in  a  lengthy  article  and  kindly  manner  set  forth  the 
errors  of  Dr.  Thomas.  In  conclusion  he  said:  ''There 
are  but  few  brethren  of  whose  reasonings  and  views 
I  could  speak  so  freely;  whose  errors  or  mistakes — (Oh! 


Dejection  of  Dr.   Thomas  HI 

lliat  I  had  a  softer  name!)— 1  could  notice  with  more 
freedom  and  more  hopes  of  success.  To  him  I  need 
offer  no  apology.  He  is  but  a  stripling  in  the  kingdom, 
a  bold  and  courageous  champion;  but,  like  other  young 
converts  of  a  noble  ambition,  he  aspires  to  outstrip 
himself  and  his  years.  There  are  few,  j^erhaps  none, 
who  would  dare  to  be  more  faithful  in  such  a  matter 
than  himself,  if  he  were  as  old  as  I  am  and  I  as  young 
as  he."  This  consideration  of  his  views,  however,  did 
not  serve  to  turn  Dr.  Thomas.  He  had  gained  a  few 
followers.  He  envied  Mr.  Campbell's  position  and 
power,  as  will  be  shown  more  fully  in  the  development 
of  his  later  actions.  He  began  to  drift  rapidly  into 
the  realm  of  speculation.  He  entered  upon  an  investi- 
gation of  the  Scriptures  concerning  the  soul,  and  soon 
built  up  a  set  of  doctrines  and  speculation  that  seem  at 
best  to  be  but  a  species  of  Sadduceeism  revamped.  The 
following  brief  statement  of  doctrine  will  set  forth  his 
principal  views  and  better  enable  us  to  understand  the 
nature  of  the  schism  and  later  events  connected  with  it. 
He  held  to  the  fundamental  doctrines  advanced  by 
Mr.  Campbell,  but  added  to  them  the  following: 

1  _The  soul  is  the  breath  of  hfe  and  dies  with  the 
body. 

2. — In  the  resurrection,  both  soul  and  body  will  be 
raised  and  stand  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ; 
between  death  and  the  resurrection  the  soul  sleeps,  is 
not  active  or  conscious. 

3. — In  the  resurrection  all  arise  and  judgment  is 
pronounced,  the  wicked  will  be  totally  annihilated, 
and  the  righteous  remain  forever  \\nth  God.  Thus  the 
resurrection  and  eternal  life  are  for  the  righteous  only. 


112  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

These  views  \yere  not  set  forth  in  the  form  of  a  creed, 
but  were  preached  by  Dr.  Thomas  and  his  co-laborers. 
The  above  is  but  a  brief  statement  of  them  as  they  are 
proclaimed  by  the  Doctor's  followers,  now  known  as 
the  Christ adelphians. 

In  the  fall  of  1838  Alexander  Campbell  visited 
Charlottesville  and  Richmond.  While  he  was  preach- 
ing in  these  places,  Dr.  Thomas  published  and  circu- 
lated a  pamphlet  setting  forth  his  speculations.  On 
seeing  it,  Mr.  Campbell  immediately  started  for  Paine- 
ville,  Amelia  county,  where  the  Doctor  then  lived, 
for  the  purpose  of  exposing  its  sophistries  in  the 
presence  of  the  author  and  his  friends.  He  left  it  to 
them  to  choose  the  way,  and  they  decided  upon  a  pubhc 
discussion,  which  was  held  in  their  meeting-house. 
Before  they  commenced  Mr.  Campbell  objected  to  any 
publication  of  the  conference,  on  account  of  the 
scandal  to  the  cause  of  reformation  which  he  appre- 
hended from  the  publication  of  his  exposure  of  the 
Doctor's  views  and  arguments,  the  Doctor  being  at 
that  time  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church  and  a 
leader  in  the  reformation.  Mr.  Campbell  then  occu- 
pied about  ten  hours  in  exposing  some  of  the  leading 
fallacies  of  Dr.  Thomias  as  set  forth  in  his  pamphlet. 
He  regarded  the  Doctor  not  only  as  a  brother,  but 
also  as  a  fellow-laborer  in  the  reformation,  but  so 
clearly  did  he  show  the  sophistries  of  his  positions  that 
the  brethren,  desirous  of  saving  the  Doctor  from  further 
humiUation,  and  being  fully  satisfied  with  the  discus- 
sion, interposed  and  proposed  to  settle  the  difference 
some   other   wav.     They   proposed   reconciliation   on 


Dejection  of  Dr.   Thomas  113 

the  broad  principles  of  Christian  forbearance  and 
forgiveness.  Mr.  Campbell,  believing  that  they  were 
fully  satisfied  with  the  developments  made,  and  that 
Dr.  Thomas  was  truly  humbled  and  desirous  of  a 
restoration  of  Christian  harmony  and  co-operation, 
responded  that  he  was  ready  to  hear  such  propositions 
as  they  might  deem  expedient  to  offer.  It  was  accord- 
ingly left  to  the  brethren  to  say  what  ought  to  be  done. 
A  council  was  organized  consisting  of  twenty-three 
members,  representing  both  sides.  They  sat  some 
hours,  and  finally  reported  the  following  resolution, 
signed  by  them  all: 

"We,  the  undersigned  brethren,  in  free  consultation, 
rnet  at  the  house  of  Bro.  John  Tinsley  Jeter,  at  Paine- 
ville,  and,  after  frankly  comparing  our  views,  unani- 
mously agreed  upon  the  resolution  subjoined,  and 
submitted  the  same  for  the  consideration  of  Brethren 
Campbell  and  Thomas;  and  Brother  Thomas  agreeing 
to  abide  by  the  same,  all  difficulties  were  adjusted,  and 
perfect  harmony  and  co-operation  mutually  agreed 
upon  between  them. 

"Resolved,  That  whereas  certain  things  believed 
and  propagated  by  Dr.  Thomas  in  relation  to  the 
mortality  of  man,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and 
the  final  destiny  of  the  wicked,  having  given  offence 
to  many  brethren,  and  being  likely  to  produce  a  divi- 
sion amongst  us,  and  believing  the  said  views  to  be 
of  no  practical  benefit,  we  recommend  to  Bro.  Thomas 
to  discontinue  the  discussion  of  the  same,  unless  in 
his  defense  when  misrepresented. 

''Paineville,  Amelia  Co.,  Va.,  November  ]o,  1838. 

Signed  by     ''Council  of  twenty-three." 


114  The  Pica  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Dr.  Thomas  promptly  asquiesced  in  this  resohition, 
and  a  reconciliation  between  him  and  Mr.  Campbell 
took  place.  The  following  morning  Mr.  Campbell 
noticed  the  much  dejected  and  humbled  air  of  the 
Doctor,  and  in  most  cordial  sympathy  asked  him 
to  draw  up  such  a  statement  of  the  affair  as  would 
place  the  whole  matter  of  their  interview  fairly  on 
record,  and  without  waiting  to  see  it  he  (Mr.  Camp- 
bell) would  write  his  publisher  to  copy  it  in  the  Millen- 
nial Harbinger  wdthout  note  or  comment. 

Mr.  Campbell,  being  away  much  of  the  time,  did  not 
see  the  Doctor's  account  for  some  four  months.  It 
was  a  month  after  the  interview  before  the  Doctor 
published  the  account  in  his  own  paper.  During  this 
time  he  seems  to  have  conferred  with  flesh  and  blood. 
The  resolution  and  preamble  were  correct,  the  rest  was 
mainly  a  defense  of  the  principles  he  had  preached. 
Thus  in  the  very  annunciation  of  the  covenant  it  was 
broken.  Mr.  Campbell  decided  not  to  answer  this,  but 
to  wait  for  a  time  to  see  what  the  Doctor  would  do. 

Meantime  the  latter  left  Virginia  and  settled  in 
Illinois,  where  he  immediately  began  again  to  propagate 
his  views.  Mr.  Campbell  noticed  the  effect  of  these 
views  in  Virginia  through  the  Harbinger,  in  order  to 
warn  the  brethren  in  Illinois.  Then  the  Doctor  pub- 
lished with  his  Investigator  an  extra  filled  with  asper- 
sions and  calumnies.  He  tried  to  show  that  every 
movement  of  Mr.  Campbell's  for  the  past  three  years 
was  but  a  settled  opposition  to  his  rising  claims  and 
merits.  The  refusal  of  Mr.  Campbell  to  publish  the 
interview  in  Amelia  was,  said  he,  a  clear  demonstration 


Dejection  of  Dr.   Thomas  115 

of  Mr.  Campbell's  jealousy  of  his  transcendent  powers. 
He  impeached  Mr.  Campbell  as  aiming  at  a  lordship 
over  the  Christian  communities,  because  the  latter  had 
warned  them  against  the  untaught  and  skeptical 
c|uestions  advocated  by  the  Doctor. 

The  following  letter,  published  in  the  Harbinger  from 
Dr.  Thomas'  home  Church  in  Philadelphia,  shows  more 
clearly  than  anything  we  can  now  write  the  spirit 
shown  by  both  parties: 

''Philadelphia.  December  24,  1837. 
^^  Beloved  Brother  Caviphell: 

''Favor  and  peace  be  nmltiplied  to  you,  through 
the  knowledge  of  God  and  of  Jesus  our  Lord. 

"The  Church  of  Christ,  meeting  at  Pear  street 
(formerly  Bank  street),  Philadelphia,  having  in  com- 
mon with  you  long  mourned  over  the  aberrations  and 
speculatiA'e  wanderings  of  the  Editor  of  the  Apostolic 
Advocate,  have  come  to  the  painful  yet  imperative 
conclusion  that  further  forbearance,  or  silence,  may 
be  construed  into  a  tacit  acknowledgment  of  those 
errors  which  are  at  once  abhorrent  to  right  reason 
and  the  testimony  of  the  Living  Oracles — as  w^e  think 
you  have  conclusively  shown. 

With  anxious  solicitude  have  we  attended  to  the 
progress  of  this  affair.  We  have  desired  and  hoped 
that  your  scriptural  admonitions  would  be  heeded  by 
him;  that  he  w^ould  stay  in  his  erratic  course,  nor 
longer  prostitute  his  fine  talents  in  attempts  schis- 
matically  to  rend  the  "body  of  Christ." 

"We  have  waited  in  the  fond  expectation  that 
those  whose  more  immediate  duty  it  would  seem  to  be 
to  act  in  his  case  would  proclaim  to  the  Disciples  and 
to  the  world  their  non-fellowship  with  such  an  incor- 
rigible factionist. 


116  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

"We  have  waited  in  vain!  And  therefore  con- 
clude that  the  congregation  with  whom  he  asso- 
ciates justifies  and  sustains  him  in  his  wayward 
propensities.  It  becomes,  then,  the  duty  of  the  other 
congregations  in  this  reformation,  which  repudiate 
those  abominable  and  subversive  speculations  and  that 
bitter  spirit  with  which  the  Apostolic  Advocate,  (or 
which  has  at  least  pervaded  the  numbers  that  have 
fallen  under  our  notice),  publicly  to  disclaim  all  con- 
nexion with  him,  and  those  who  hold  fellowship  with 
him  in  his  pernicious  views. 

"It  is  for  this  purpose  we  write,  by  the  unanimous 
appointment  of  the  Church  in  Philadelphia,  to  make 
known  to  the  brethren  and  to  the  world,  through  the 
the  Millennial  Harbinger — 

"1st.  That  we  disapprove  and  disallow  all  the  specu- 
lations of  Dr.  John  Thomas,  of  the  Apostolic  Advocate. 

"2d.  We  approve  the  course  pursued  by  our  Brother 
Campbell  towards  the  Doctor,  and  think  it  has  savored 
much  of  the  meekness  and  love  that  ought  ever  to 
adorn  the  Christian  character. 

"3d.  We  think  no  further  argument  or  discussion 
ought  to  be  held  with  such  a  dogmatic  and  vindictive 
spirit  as  Dr.  Thomas  has  evinced  towards  Brother 
Campbell  while  mildly  endeavoring  to  reclaim  him.. 

"4th.  We  henceforth  separate  and  withdraw  from 
all  intercourse  of  Christian  fellowship  with  Dr.  Thomas 
and  those  who  sustain  him  until  he  and  they  shall 
publicly  renounce  and  abjure  all  speculations,  and 
take  the  Word  of  God,  the  Living  Oracles,  as  their 
only  guide;  and  we  pray  they  may  speedily  come  to 
reformation  and  a  real  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

"James  Heaslitt,  Isaac  Cole, 

"J.  L.  Rhees,  Wm.  Rowzee, 

"J.  Hall,  Thomas  Davis, 

"John  Wingfield,  Owen  Flanagan. 

"J.  Harpham,  Benj.  Andrews." 


Defection  of  Dr.   Thomas  117 

Dr.  Thomas  was  a  writer  of  abilty,  and  had  it  not  been 
for  his  speculative  tendency  would  have  been  a  strong 
proclaimer  of  the  Word.  His  principal  works  were 
''AnatoHa/^  '^Elpis  Israel,"  and  "Eureka;  An  Exposi- 
tion of  the  Apocalypse." 

His  views  gained  but  few  adherents.  The  re- 
ligious body  known  as  Christadelphians,  of  which 
he  was  the  founder,  numbered  in  1890  but  sixty-three 
organizations,  with  1,227  members,  scattered  over 
twenty  States.  Turning,  as  they  do,  their  attention 
to  speculative  theology  rather  than  to  the  practical 
phases  of  the  gospel,  they  can  never  become  a  force  in 
the  evangelization  of  the  world.  The  Sycamore  Church 
was  many  years  recovering  from  the  effects  of  Dr. 
Thomas's  pastorate  there.  There  are  a  few  scattered 
followers  still  in  Tidewater  district. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CHARLOTTESVILLE     AND     THE     SHENAXDOAH. 

We  have  traced  the  fortunes  of  the  restoration  during 
the  formative  period  in  the  Tidewater  district,  and 
now,  coming  westward  to  the  foot  of  the  Blue  Ridge, 
let  us  notice  the  beginning  of  the  work  at  Charlottes- 
ville; from  there  we  will  pass  over  the  Blue  Ridge 
into  the  famous  Shenandoah  Valley. 

In  1831  two  Baptist  preachers.  Porter  Cleveland  and 
John  Goss,  at  the  instigation  of  Elder  Goss'  son,  James, 
who  was  then  attending  the  University,  began  a  regular 
monthly  preaching  service  in  Charlottesville.  They 
soon  organized  a  Church  of  thirty-one  members.  R. 
L.  Coleman,  a  young  man  of  the  county,  who  was  just 
entering  on  the  work  of  the  ministry,  soon  came  to 
their  aid,  and  in  companv  with  Gilbert  Mason,  also 
a  young  Baptist  preacher,  held  a  meeting  which 
doubled  the  membership  of  the  Church. 

Mr.  Coleman  had  heard  Alexander  Campbell  preach 
in  Richmond  during  the  Constitutional  Convention  in 
1830,  and  was  captivated  by  his  views.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  Mr.  Campbell  was  at  that  time  a 
Baptist,  but  known  among  them  as  a  reformer.  The 
stigma  attached  to  so-called  Campbellism  had  not 
yet  found  expression  among  these  members  at  Char- 
lottesville, and  in  May,  1831,  Bro.  Coleman  was  or- 
dained pastor  of  the  Church  by  Elders  John  Goss  and 
Porter  Cleveland.     He  continued  preaching  there  for 


Charlottesiyille  and  the  Shenandoah  119 

a  number  of  years,  often  preaching  the  doctrine,  which, 
if  some  of  his  hearers  had  known  was  the  same  as  that 
advocated  by  Mr.  Campbell,  w^ould  have  made  him 
much  trouble.  Meantime  the  leaven  of  the  reforma- 
tion was  working.  The  members  saw  the  need  of  a 
return  to  the  old  Jerusalem  gospel. 

In  January,  1834,  Dr.  B.  F.  Hall  went  to  Charlottes- 
ville and  preached  some  fifteen  or  sixteen  sermons  in 
the  Baptist  Church.  He  developed  the  ancient  gospel 
and  plead  for  a  return  to  the  primitive  order  of  things. 
A  number  of  the  members  had  been  for  some  time 
readers  of  the  Harbinger,  and  were  disposed  to  reform, 
others  who  formerly  objected  to  that  paper  were  led 
to  read  it,  and  expressed  astonishment  at  their  former 
unfounded  prejudices.  A  few  of  the  very  orthodox 
were  not  favorable  to  the  reformers'  occupying  the 
house.  One  acknowledged  that  he  could  find  no 
fault  with  their  preaching,  another,  when  urged  to  point 
out  an  idea  advanced  contrary  to  the  Bible,  said, 
"The  Devil  preached  the  truth  to  the  Savior."  The 
result  of  this  meeting  was  greatly  increased  light  on  the 
Scriptures,  and  a  growing  sentiment  in  the  congrega- 
tion favorable  to  the  restoration. 

Late  in  the  year  1835,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Church, 
Robert  Ryland,  Professor  in  the  Baptist  Seminary 
and  Chaplain  to  the  University  of  Virginia,  denounced 
the  reformers  as  heretics,  and  a  motion  was  put  for  a 
division  of  the  congregation.  The  majority  of  the 
members  being  favorable  to  the  reformation,  the 
motion  was  lost.  At  a  subsequent  meeting  held 
Januarv  15,  1836.  the  same  motion  was  earned  bv  a 


120  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

majority  of  one.  The  Baptists  were  asked  to  name  one 
single  sentiment  or  practice  held  to  by  the  reformers 
that  was  not  consistent  with  the  Word  of  God,  but 
they  declined  to  do  so,  Mr.  Ryland  stating  that  the 
reformation  flourished  by  controversy.  By  this  action 
between  thirty  and  forty  reformers  were  cut  off. 
Among  them  were  the  pastor,  Bro.  Coleman,  also  James 
Goss  and  one  other  preacher,  probably  Porter  Cleve- 
land. These  soon  organized  themselves  into  a  Church 
of  Christ,  and,  as  in  ancient  times,  the  disciples  went 
everywhere  preaching  the  Word.  Associational  de- 
crees were  passed  against  them,  newspaj^ers  proclaimed 
their  heresies,  and  they  were  locked  out  of  meeting- 
houses. Public  and  private  attacks  were  made  and 
misrepresentations  were  current,  yet  the  cause  so 
prospered  that  in  nine  months  three  churches  had  been 
organized  in  Albemarle  county. 

In  the  year  1840  a  great  co-operative  meeting 
was  held  at  Charlottesville.  About  fifteen  preachers 
were  present,  fifty-six  churches  were  represented, 
directly  or  indirectly,  and  about  three  thousand  mem- 
bers reported.  It  was  early  made  known  that  Mr. 
Campbell  was  to  be  present,  and  brethren  came  from 
far  and  near  to  hear  him.  He  preached  several  times 
during  the  meeting,  and  also  delivered  a  lecture  before 
the  Charlottesville  Lyceum  on  "Is  Moral  Philosophy 
an  Inductive  Science?"  This  is  one  of  Mr.  Campbell's 
most  famous  lectures.  At  this  meeting  Dr.  Bullard 
and  Mr.  Campbell  first  met  and  arranged  to  unite  their 
forces.  Dr.  Chester  Bullard  had  been  baptized  in 
1831     at  Sulphur  Springs,   Giles  county,  by  Landon 


Charlottesville  and  the  Shenandoah  121 

Duncan,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Christian  Connection. 
Dr.  Bullard  was  studying  medicine  at  the  time,  but  was 
much  interested  in  the  matter  of  his  salvation,  and 
had  long  ago  come  to  the  conclusion  that  he  ought  to 
be  immersed,  but  could  find  no  one  to  perform  that 
ordinance  except  the  Baptists,  who  would  only  im- 
merse into  the  Baptist  Church.  This  he  was  unwilling 
to  submit  to,  as  he  could  not  approve  of  many  of  their 
tenets  sufficiently  to  unite  with  them.  He  also  dis- 
sented to  some  of  the  views  advanced  by  Landon 
Duncan,  but  the  latter  willingly  immersed  him.  On 
the  evening  of  his  baptism  Dr.  Bullard  delivered  his 
first  discourse,  and  by  degrees  gave  more  and  more  of 
his  time  to  preaching  the  Word.  He  presented  simple 
views  of  the  Gospel,  declaring  that  salvation  was  for 
whosoever  wills,  and  showing  that  faith  comes  by 
hearing  and  that  he  that  believes  and  is  baptized  shall 
be  saved. 

About  two  years  after  his  baptism  he  organized  his 
first  Church  near  the  source  of  the  Catawba.  Because 
they  gave  allegiance  to  no  sect  these  people  were  called 
''Bullardites."  The  Doctor  used  to  tell  of  an  old 
German  brother  who  in  his  public  prayers  besought 
the  Lord  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  Methodists,  ''dot  dey 
might  all  come  over  and  jine  Bullard!"  In  1839  Dr. 
Bullard  happened  to  take  up  and  read  Campbell's 
''Extra  on  Remission"  at  the  house  of  his  brother-in- 
law.  Up  to  this  time  he  had  been  strongly  prejudiced 
against  Campbell,  He  was  at  once  surprised  and 
delighted  with  the  view  of  the  Gospel  as  set  forth  in 
the  Extra,  and  hunted  out  the  back  numbers  of  the 
Hurhinger.     He  found  as  he  read  that  Mr.  Campbell's 


122  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

views  of  the  Gospel  were  as  clear  as  a  crystal,  and  very 
different  from  the  slanderous  misrepresentations  circu- 
lated by  press  and  pulpit  concerning  him.  He  im- 
mediately began  to  circulate  these  writings,  and 
preached  with  great  success  the  reformatory  principles 
that  he  had  before  set  forth,  but  now  with  greater 
clearness.  Happy  in  finding  himself  associated  with 
a  host  of  fellow-laborers  in  the  same  cause,  and  hearing 
that  Mr.  Campbell  was  to  visit  Charlottesville,  he  deter- 
mined to  see  him  and  unite  their  forces.  The  mutual  fel- 
lowship and  esteem  there  begun  was  ever  after  kept  up. 

Closely  connected  with  this  account  of  Dr.  Bullard's 
work,  and  also  forming  a  fitting  introduction  to  the 
work  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  is  the  beautiful  story 
of  the  White  Pilgrim. 

Living  at  Winchester,  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  in 
the  early  part  of  last  century,  was  one  Joseph  Thomas, 
better  known  as  the  ''Wliite  Pilgrim."  In  person 
he  was  tall,  straight  as  an  Indian,  with  fair  skin,  gray 
eyefi,  beautiful  nose  and  mouth,  a  lofty  forehead,  long 
chestnut  locks,  parted  over  the  middle  of  the  head  and 
falling  upon  his  shoulders.  He  travelled  much  on 
foot  and  wore  a  long  white  robe,  from  which  he  derived 
his  name.  Few  who  heard  him  ever  forgot  the  wild 
beauty  and  sublimity  of  his  eloquence.  Early  in  life 
Thomas  had  been  associated  with  O'Kelley  in  the 
Christian  Connection,  but  afterward  he  became  con- 
vinced that  immersion  is  the  scriptural  baptism,  and 
was  immersed  in  Philadelphia  by  Elder  Plummer,  of 
whom  we  shall  speak  further  in  this  chapter. 

While  making  a  tour  through  Southwestern  Vir- 
ginia   Joseph  Thomas  met  with  Landon  Duncan,  and 


Charlottesville  and  the  Shenandoah  123 

after  some  conversation  between  them  Mr.  Duncan 
adopted  the  views  of  the  Christian  Connection  and  was 
immersed  by  the  White  Pilgrim. 

In  1808  a  few  persons  in  the  lower  end  of  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley  met  at  Strasburg  and  organized  themselves 
as  a  Church  of  Christ,  agreeing  to  wear  the  name  Chris- 
tian, and  no  other.  They  also  expressed  themselves  in 
opposition  to  human  creeds,  agreeing  to  be  guided  by  the 
Bible  alone.  This,  however,  was  but  the  faint  flicker- 
ing of  the  Hght  so  soon  to  burn.  This  organization 
was  an  expression  of  the  ideas  advanced  by  James 
OTvelley  in  the  infancy  of  the  Christian  Connection. 

Mr.  O'Kelley  had  been  a  Methodist,  but  was  rapidly 
undergoing  a  change  of  views.  He  was  then  living 
in  North  Carolina.  An  earnest  and  able  preacher,  he 
was  strongly  opposed  to  the  unscriptural  creeds  and 
divisions  in  the  Church.  Thus  his  movement  partook 
somewhat  of  the  nature  of  that  of  Mr.  Campbell, but  was 
not  carried  so  far  as  the  latter.  Mr.  O'Kelley  visited 
the  Valley  in  1808,  and  preached  for  the  Church  above 
mentioned.  At  this  time  O'Kelley  was  accustomed 
to  immerse  when  requested  to  do  so,  but  he  favored 
pouring.  In  1809  Frederick  Plummer  visited  the 
Church  and  was  well  received.  He  was  the  first 
to  assert  in  that  community  that  neither  sprinkling  nor 
pouring  was  the  one  baptism  mentioned  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. The  meetings  were  held  at  four  different  points, 
all  within  five  miles  of  Strasburg,  as  there  was  no 
settled  place  for  worship. 

In  the  year  1821  Robert  Ferguson,  then  a  young 
man,   settled   among   this   peo])le,  and   continued   his 


124  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

la])ors  among  them  for  twenty-five  j^ears.  The  year 
that  he  settled  there  a  meeting  of  the  congregation  was 
held  in  Strasburg  to  consider  means  for  the  extension 
of  the  work,  and  as  an  outgrowth  of  this  meeting  a  few 
years  later  a  meeting-house  was  erected  at  Walnut 
Springs,  this  being  more  centrally  located  for  the 
membership.  The  building  of  this  meeting-house  was 
the  beginning  of  a  forward  movement  in  the  Valley. 
As  3^et  they  knew  nothing  of  the  movement  with  which 
Mr.  Campbell  was  connected.  The  work  instituted 
by  Mr.  Kelley  was  a  reaching  out  after  the  truth,  and 
consequently  along  the  same  lines  as  that  of  Mr. 
Campbell,  but  manj^  of  these  old  Christian  (Connec- 
tion) churches  have  since  drifted  off  into  sectarianism. 
This  Church  continued  in  the  teachings  of  OTvelle}' 
until  about  1835,  when  Bro.  Ferguson  found  out  that 
in  following  out  the  original  trend  taken  by  O'Kelley 
he  was  working  on  the  same  ground  with  a  larger,  more 
widespread  movement  under  the  leadership  of  Mr. 
Campbell.  The  whole  church  of  some  fift}^  members, 
who  had  thus  been  prepared,  were  now  taught  the 
principles  of  the  Word  of  God  in  their  fullness,  and  all 
became  more  earnest  in  the  proclamation  of  the  ''faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints."  In  September,  1835, 
Bro.  James  Henshall,  of  Baltimore,  accompanied  by 
Bro.  Charles  Farquharson,  started  on  a  preaching  tour 
of  Western  Maryland.  They  stopped  at  Hagerstown 
one  night  and  went  to  hear  Bro.  Samuel  K.  Hoshour 
preach  in  the  town  hall. 

Bro.   Hoshour,   v/ho  afterward  became  one  of  the 
foremost  pioneer  preachers  of  Indiana,  had  formerly 


Charlottesville  and  the  Shenandoah  125 

attended  a  theological  institute  at  New  Market,  in 
the  Valley  of  Virginia,  in  order  to  fit  himself  for  the 
ministry  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  In  1831  he  had 
taken  charge  of  a  church  of  that  denomination  in 
Hagerstown.  The  year  1834  saw  a  revival  of  religious 
interest  in  the  Beaver  Creek  region,  near  Hagerstown. 
A  preacher  appeared  in  the  place  who  called  himself 
simply  a  ^'Christian"  or  a  ^'disciple  of  Christ."  He 
established  a  church.  Hoshour  was  called  upon  by  his 
brethren  to  refute  this  new  doctrine,  especially  that  in 
regard  to  immersion.  In  his  investigation ,  preparatory 
to  the  debate,  he  became  convinced  of  the  superior 
authority  for  immersion  as  baptism.  He  became  a 
reader  of  the  Harbinger.  He  had  seen  a  copy  of  the 
Christian  Baptist  some  years  before,  and  was  much 
impressed  with  the  views  there  advanced.  In  the 
early  spring  of  1835  Bro.  Hoshour  was  immersed,  but 
owing  to  the  aggressiveness  of  his  former  brethren, 
churches  and  school-houses  closed  their  doors  against 
him  and  he  was  denied  a  hearing.  In  order  to  support 
himself  and  family  he  began  teaching  school  at  New 
Market,  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia.  From  here  he  used 
to  go  out  and  preach  at  points  within  reach,  but  his 
scanty  means  hindered  him  from  devoting  much  of  his 
time  to  the  work.  It  was  while  on  a  short  tour  to  his 
old  home  in  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  that  Bro.  Henshall 
met  and  heard  him  preach. 

We  have  digressed  to  show  how  the  upper  part  of  the 
Valley  was  prepared  for  future  victories  in  the  cause  of 
truth  by  this  eminent  preacher;  let  us  now  return  to 
the  work  at  Walnut  Springs.     Bro.  Henshall  proceeded 


126  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

to  this  place  from  Hagerstown,  in  order  to  attend 
a  co-operative  meeting  of  the  disciples  at  Walnut 
Springs.  He  preached  at  several  points  along  the  way, 
and  at  Williamsport  was  met  by  Bro.  Ferguson.  They 
had  known  each  other  for  some  five  years.  This  co- 
operative meeting  was  the  first  one  held  in  the  Valley, 
and  was  more  of  a  general  assembly  of  the  scattered 
disciples  for  the  purpose  of  hearing  the  Word  preached 
than  a  co-operation  on  the  business  matters  of  the 
kingdom.  The  preaching  that  ensued  during  the  meet- 
ing resulted  in  five  souls'  obeying  the  Gospel.  The  people 
saw  more  clearly  the  necessity  of  organizing  themselves 
into  congregations  and  meeting  every  Lord's  Day  to 
break  the  loaf.  Growth,  however,  was  very  slow, 
owing  to  the  isolated  condition  of  the  work.  Bro. 
Ferguson  was  the  only  preacher  located  in  the  Valley 
for  more  than  ten  years  after  this  time.  The  pro- 
claimers  in  Tidewater  District  rarely  ever  crossed  the 
Blue  Ridge,  and  the  Valley  of  Virginia  had  to  contend 
with  conditions  not  found  in  other  sections  of  Virginia. 
Between  1845  and  1850  James  Cowgill  and  George  W. 
Abell  began  to  preach  there,  and  the  work  began  to 
grow  under  their  laljors. 

We  have  now  practically  covered  the  pioneer  history 
of  the  v/ork  in  Eastern  Virginia.  It  was  a  period  of 
controversy,  persecution,  decrees  and  schisms.  From 
1840  the  churches  settled  down  to  a  more  healthy 
growth.  The  animosit}^  aroused  between  the  Baptists 
and  the  reformers  greatly  subsided  and  the  spirituality 
of  the  churches  increased.  We  have  yet  to  notice  in 
the  remaining  chapters  some  of  the  later  developments 
and  hindrances  to  the  work  thus  inaugurated. 


CHAPTER  X. 

.lETPJR  AND  LARD  CONTROVERSY. 

In  1855  Dr.  Jeremiah  B.  Jeter,  a  leading  Baptist  of 
Eastern  Virginia,  published  a  book  entitled  ''Campbell- 
ism  Examined. "  This  work  was  followed  a  year  later 
by  "Campbellism  Re-examined,"  from  the  same  au- 
thor. These  books  were  vigorously  circulated,  and  the 
friends  of  the  restoration  appealed  to  Mr.  Campbell  for 
such  a  reply  as  would  vindicate  the  movement  from  the 
false  charges  and  lack  of  logic  and  Scripture  shown  in 
the  above-named  works.  At  that  time  Mr.  Campbell 
was  heavily  burdened  with  work.  Besides  being  the 
active  president  of  Bethany  College  and  editor  of  the 
Millennial  Harbinger,  he  was  almost  daily  the  recipient 
of  requests  for  lectures  and  addresses,  and  in  addition 
to  this,  like  the  Apostle  Paul,  he  had  upon  him  ''the 
care  of  all  the  churches."  It  was,  therefore,  impossi- 
ble, without  superhuman  efforts,  for  him  to  give  the 
time  necessary  to  the  work  of  a  reply.  Bethany  Col- 
lege had,  however,  produced  many  defenders  of  the 
faith  who  were  equal  to  the  task,  and  from  these  Mr. 
Campbell  selected  Moses  E.  Lard,  a  comparatively 
young  man,  to  wTite  a  review  of  Dr.  Jeter's  books.  The 
delay  occasioned  before  the  choice  was  made  gave  am- 
ple time  for  Dr.  Jeter's  books  to  do  the  work  they  had 
been  wTitten  to  accomplish.  They  had  been  read  and 
accepted  by  many  as  a  true  representation  of  the  posi- 
tions assumed  by  the  reformers.     The  objections  urged 


128  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

against  the  restoration  by  Dr.  Jeter  are  of  the  variety 
that  are  standard  to-day.  In  order  to  show  the  able 
refutation  made  by  Bro.  Lard,  and  at  the  same  time  give 
to  our  readers  some  of  the  ever  current  objections  to 
the  movement  with  which  we  stand  identified,  and  the 
answers  to  such,  we  will  introduce  quotations  from 
each  work  on  the  same  topics. 

ON    THE    XP:EI)    of    A    REFORMATION. 

Jeter: — "That  a  reformation  was  needed  by  the 
Christian  sects  of  that  time,  none  who  possess  a  toiera- 
able  acc|uaintance  with  their  condition  and  the  claims 
of  the  Gospel  will  deny.  Indeed,  what  Church,  or 
member  of  a  Church,  does  not,  in  some  respects  and  in 
some  degree,  need  reformation?  There  was  needed 
then,  as  at  all  times,  an  increase  of  religious  knowledge 
in  the  churches;  but  more  than  this,  an  increase  of 
piety.  The  reformation  demanded  by  the  times  was 
in  spirit  and  practice,  rather  than  doctrine." 

Lard: — ''Well  may  Mr.  Jeter  admit  that  a  'refor- 
mation' was  needed  by  the  'Christian  sects'  of  that 
time;  and  yet  he  does  not  blush  to  sneer  at  the  man 
who  aspired  to  the  honor  of  effecting  it.  As  to  whether 
the  reformation  demanded  was  a  reformation  'in  spirit 
and  practice  rather  than  doctrine,'  we  shall  leave  those 
best  ac([uainted  with  the  wretched  state  of  doctrine 
at  the  time  to  decide. 

"But  Mr.  Campbell  never  proposed  a  reformation  of 
'Christian  sects'  as  such.  He  proposed  that  all  sin- 
cere and  pious  Christians  should  abandon  these 'sects, ' 
and,  uniting  upon  the  great  foundation  upon  which,  as 
upon  a  rock,  Christ  said  he  would  build  his  Church, 
form  themselves  into  a  Church  of  Christ,  and  not  into 
a  sect.  A  'Christian  sect'  we  pronounce  simply  an 
impossible  thing.     Sects  there  may  be,  innumerable; 


Jeter  and  Lard  Controversy  129 

but  Christian,  as  sects,  they  can  never  be.  A  Church 
of  Christ  is  not  a  sect,  in  any  legitimate  sense  of  the 
term.  As  soon  as  a  body  of  believers,  claiming  to  be 
a  Church  of  Christ,  becomes  a  sect,  it  ceases  to  be  a 
Church  of  Christ.  Sect  and  Christian  are  terms  denot- 
ing incompatible  ideas.  Christians  there  may  be  in 
all  the  sects,  as  we  believe  there  are;  but,  in  them 
though  there  may  be,  yet  of  them,  if  Christians, 
clearly  they  are  not.  Mr.  Campbell's  proposition 
never  looked  to  the  reformation  of  sects  as  such.  A 
sect  reformed  would  still  be  a  sect;  and  sect  and 
Christian  are  not  convertible  terms.  Sectarianism 
originates,  and  necessarily,  in  the  Church,  but  has  its 
consummation  out  of  it.  Hence,  Paul,  in  addressing 
the  Church  at  Corinth,  says,  'There  must  be  also 
heresies  (sectarianism)  among  you,  that  they  who  are 
approved  may  be  made  manifest.'  But  here  is  some- 
thing w^hich  seems  never  to  have  struck  the  mind  of 
Mr.  Jeter.  With  the  Apostle,  sectarianism  origi- 
nated with  the  bad,  and  the  good  were  excluded;  but 
with  Mr.  Jeter  it  includes  the  good,  and  the  bad  are 
excluded.  How  shall  we  account  for  the  difference? 
As  soon,  however,  as  the  'heretic'  (the  sectarian)  is 
discovered  in  the  Church,  he  is  by  the  apostle's  direc- 
tion, to  be  admonished  a  first  and  second  time,  and 
then,  if  he  repent  not,  to  be  rejected.  Now,  we 
rec|uest  to  be  informed  by  Mr,  Jeter  how,  according 
to  this  rule,  a  'Christian  sect'  can  exclude  her  'secta- 
rians '  and  still  remain  a  sect?  Heresy  and  sectarianism 
are  identical,  being  both  represented  by  the  same 
term  in  the  same  sense  in  the  original ;  and  that  which 
they  represent  has  its  origin  in  the  flesh.  Hence  the 
same  Apostle,  in  enumerating  the  works  of  the  flesh, 
mentions,  among  other  things,  strife,  sedition,  heresy 
(sectarianism).  Heresy  or  sectarianism,  we  are  taught 
by  the  Apostle  Peter,  is  introduced  into  the  Church  by 


130  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

'false  teachers/  and  is  'damnable';  and  yet  Mr.  Jeter, 
with  true  foster-father  tenderness,  can  talk  of  'Chris- 
tian sects.'" 

ON    THE      EXAMINATION    OF    CANDIDATES    FOR    BAPTISM. 

Jeter: — "Philip  did  not  baptize  the  Ethiopian 
eunuch,  who  requested  baptism,  until  he  had  cate- 
chised him.  True,  the  evangelist  propounded  but  one 
question  to  the  candidate;  or,  at  least,  in  the  concise 
narrative  furnished  by  Luke,  only  one  is  recorded, — 
that,  under  the  circumstances,  being  deemed  suffi- 
cient. This  example,  so  far  from  restricting  pastors 
or  churches  to  this  brief  and  single  question,— a 
question  neA^er,  so  far  as  we  are  informed,  proposed 
to  any  other  applicant  for  the  ordinance  in  apostolic 
times — fairly  authorizes  them  to  make  such  inquiries 
as  the  intelligence,  known  characters,  and  circum- 
stances of  the  candidates  may  appear  to  require." 

Lard: — "That  is,  one  question  put  by  an  inspired 
teacher  authorizes  uninspired 'pastors  or  churches'  to 
put,  if  they  see  fit,  a  thousand,  or  to  require  a  candidate 
for  baptism  to  relate  a  Christian  experience.  When 
the  Holy  Word  of  God  can  be  thus  scandalously 
perverted  by  its  professed  friends  merely  to  serve  a 
purpose,  for  consistencj^'s  sake  let  the  clamor  of 
Christians  against  infidel  injustice  be  hushed  forever. 

"But,  gentle  reader,  will  3^ou  turn  to  the  eighth 
chapter  of  the  Acts,  and  read  from  the  twent3^-ninth 
verse  to  the  close  of  the  chapter?  You  will  observe 
that,  on  approaching  the  eunuch.  Philip  says  to  him, 
'Understandest  thou  what  thou  readest?'  But  this 
is  not  the  'one  question"  to  which  Mr.  Jeter  refers; 
therefore  read  on.  You  are  through?  Now  say 
whether  you  have  found  even  one  question  put  b}^ 
Philip  to  the  eunuch  before  he  would  baptize  him. 
No.     Such  a  question  is  not  in  the  passage.     Philip 


Jeter  and  Lard  Controversy  131 

states  the  condition  on  which  the  eunuch  might  be 
baptized,  but  he  propounds  to  him  no  question.  But 
Mr.  Jeter,  in  his  blind  zeal  to  find  an  example  which 
would  justify  him  in  catechising-  candidates  for  bap- 
tism, confounds  a  condition  with  a  question;  or,  if  he 
has  not  done  this,  then  he  is  guilty  of  inventing  for 
the  Bible  what  it  does  not  contain." 

ox    THE    PO\\ER    THAT    PRODUCES    COX  VERSION. 

Jeter: — ''If  all  the  converting  power  of  the  Spirit 
is  in  the  arguments  addressed  by  him  in  words  to  the 
mind,  then  it  follows  that  every  minister  of  the  Word 
must  be  successful  in  converting  souls  to  Christ  in 
proportion  to  the  distinctness  with  which  he  presents 
the  arguments  of  the  Spirit  to  the  minds  of  his  hearers. 
The  same  measure  of  power  must,  under  similar  cir- 
cumstances, produce  similar  results.  But  does  this 
conclusion  agree  with  the  experience  and  observation 
of  Christian  ministers?" 

Lard: — "We  reply,  if  the  power  be  luiiform,  and 
the  circumstances  precisely  similar,  then  the  results 
will  be  so  too.  Now,  we  maintain  that  the  convert- 
ing power  is  in  the  Truth,  and,  hence,  that  the  power  is 
uniform.  But  are  the  circumstances  precisely  similar? 
^Ir.  Jeter  knew  that  they  are  not,  and  yet  he  has 
the  front  to  put  the  case  as  against  us.  But  are  the 
circumstances  so  far  similar  as  to  justify  the  expecta- 
tion of  even  nearly  similar  results?  They  are  not. 
But,  on  the  contrary,  they  are  so  very  dissimilar  as 
to  justify  the  expectation  of  the  most  dissimilar 
results.  This  is  the  conclusion  which  agrees  with 
the  experience  and  observation  of  Christian  ministers. 

"Audiences  vary  in  ways  which  are  almost  infinite; 
each  one  of  which  will  serve  to  prevent  a  uniform 
result  from  preaching.  No  two  can  be  found  command- 
ing precisely  the  same  amount  of  intellect;    and  then 


132  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

in  point  of  cultivation  the}^  differ  most  widely.  These 
two  circumstances  of  themselves  are  enough  to  account 
for  the  most  dissimilar  results.  But,  in  addition  to 
these,  prejudices  innumerable,  and  as  various  as 
numerous,  have  to  be  encountered.  The  resistance 
met  with  by  the  truth  from  all  these  sources  is  such 
as  to  cause  us  rather  to  wonder  that  the  results  are 
so  nearly  uniform  as  they  are  than  to  expect  them  to 
be  completely  so. 

''  In  further  proof  of  his  objection,  Mr.  Jeter  pre- 
sented the  following  so-called  'fact':" 

Jeter: — ^'But  I  need  not  appeal  in  this  argument 
to  unquestionable  evidence.  Christ  was  an  unrivalled 
preacher  of  the  Gospel.  Jno.  7:  46:  'Never  man 
spake  as  he  did.'  ....  But  what  was  the  result  of 
his  ministry?  It  was  unsuccessful:  not  wholly  so; — 
but  it  produced  no  such  results  as  from  his  pre-eminent 
qualifications  might  have  been  expected;  no  great 
moral  resolution,  and  no  extensive  revival  of  true 
religion." 

Lard: — ''Christ's  ministry,  then,  was  unsuccessful; 
only  it  was  not  wholly  so.  Be  it  so  then.  But  was 
it  unsuccessful  because  of  any  want  of  power  in  the 
Truth?  If  so,  Mr.  Jeter  has  not  shown  it.  No.  It 
was  unsuccessful,  as  far  as  it  was  so  at  all,  because  of 
the  deliberate  resistance  offered  to  the  Truth  by  the 
Jews.  This  is  the  reason  why  it  was  unsuccessful. 
Upon  various  occasions,  and  in  different  language, 
did  the  Savior  account  for  his  lack  of  success.  Now, 
to  what  causes  did  he  attribute  it?  Among  others, 
we  mention  the  following: — 

"1.  'This  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross,  and  their 
ears  are  dull  of  hearino;,  and  their  eyes  they  have 
closed,  lest  at  any  time  they  should  see  with  their 
eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  should  understand 
with  their  heart,  and  should  turn  again,  and  I  should 
heal  them.' 


Jeter  and  Lard  Controversy  133 

''  2.  'Had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have  believed 
me:  for  he  wrote  of  nie.  But  if  ye  believe  not  his 
writin<rs,  how  shall  ye  believe  my  words?' 

''3.  'How  can  ye  believe,  who  receive  honor  one  of 
another,  and  seek  not  the  honor  that  cometh  from 
God  only?' 

"  4.  'Ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life.' 

"But,  among  all  the  causes  assigned  by  the  Savior, 
did  he  ever  once  mention  a  want  of  power  in  the 
Truth?  Whether  then  is  it  safer  to  ascribe  his  w^ant 
of  success  to  the  causes  which  he  himself  mentions, 
or  to  such  as  he  never  even  once  alludes  to? 

"But  how  does  Mr.  Jeter  account  for  the  vSavior's 
want  of  success?  ^The  converting  "power  of  the  Spirit/ 
is  his  own  language,  'was  not  present, — ivas  icithheld  in 
ivisdom  and  riyhteovs  judgmerit.'  We  blush  for  the 
pen  that  drew  this  libel  upon  the  divine  character. 
In  charity,  let  us  hope  its  author  penned  it  in  haste, 
under  the  influence  of  some  dreadful  pressure,  without 
stopping  to  reflect  on  his  deed.  'The  converting  power 
of  the  Spirit  was  withheld,'  lience  conversion  was 
impossible;  and  yet  the  Savior  said  to  the  multitude, 
'Ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life,' 
when  he  perfectly  knew  that  they  came  not,  not  be- 
cause they  would  not,  but  because  they  could  not! 
Ihe  converting  power  of  the  Spirit  was  withheld, 
hence  conversion  could  not  be;  and  yet  the  uncon- 
verted were,  by  the  high  decree  of  Heaven,  doomed 
to  perdition  for  refusing  to  be  what  they  could  not  be! 
What  is  this  but  to  tender  to  man  a  religion  which 
he  cannot  accept,  and  then  to  damn  him  for  rejecting 
it?  And  all  this  is  coolly  charged  to  the  account  of 
'wisdom  and  righteous  judgment'!" 


134  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 


ON    BAPTISM    FOR    THE    REMISSION    OF    SINS. 

Jeter: — '^ Objection  First. — Baptism,  according  to 
the  ancient  Gospel,  is  not  the  figure  or  formal  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  remission  of  sins,  but  the  indispensable, 
and,  it  would  seem,  the  only,  condition  of  obtaining 
it Is  this  scheme  of  forgiveness  scrip- 
tural? Is  baptism,  like  repentance  and  faith,  an 
indispensable  condition  of  the  remission  of  sins?  Let 
the  reader  notice, — first,  that  this  scheme  of  remission 
flatly  contradicts  plain  and  numerous  Scripture 
testimonies." 

Lard: — '' Candidly,  we  are  not  seldom  at  a  loss  to 
know^  how  to  characterize  some  of  Mr.  Jeter's  asser- 
tions without  transcending  the  limits  which  courtesy 
imposes.  To  call  this  assertion  a  downright  false- 
hood would  be  too  harsh,  and  to  call  it  the  truth  would 
be  a  falsehood.  Nameless,  then,  we  let  it  stand.  Mr. 
Campbell  maintains  (and  Mr.  Jeter  is  perfectly  ac- 
quainted with  the  fact)  that  there  are  three  conditions 
on  w^hich  remission  of  sins  depends — to  wit:  belief, 
repentance,  and  baptism.  Wherefore,  then,  the  pre- 
ceding false  and  slanderous  assertion?" 

Jeter: — ^'Objection  Fourth. — That  salvation  may 
be  entirely  beyond  the  reacli  of  the  most  humble, 
obedient,  and  faithful  servants  of  Christ.  Let  me 
suppose  a  case.  Fidelis,  after  a  careful  examination 
of  the  subject,  became  a  convert  to  Christianity. 
Deeply  conscious  of  his  guilt  and  unworthiness,  he 
cordially  embraced  Christ  as  his  Prophet,  Priest,  and 
King,  consecrating  to  him,  in  the  unfeigned  purpose 
of  his  heart,  his  body^  soul,  and  spirit.  Enraptured 
wdth  the  Savior's  charms,  he  rejoiced  in  his  w^ord  and 
w^orshiped  from  day  to  day.  Having  settled  his  view^s 
on  the  subject  of  baptism,  he  designed  at  his  earliest 
opportunity  to  take  on  him  the  badge  of  discipleship 
in  baptism.";     But,  by  order  of  Tyrannus,  an  inveterate 


Jeter  and  Lard  Controversy  135 

enemy  of  Christ,  he  was  arrested  and  cast  into  prison 
for  his  ardent  zeal  and  dauntless  testimony  in  the 
Redeemer's  cause.  To  him  baptism  is  now  impos- 
sible. And  poor  Fidelis  cannot  enjoy  the  remission 
of  his  sins." 

Lard: — ''But  what  of  the  case  of  poor  Fidelis? 
First.  The  case  is  purely  imaginary,  and  is  hence  no 
ground  of  argument  except  with  a  man  who  prefers 
the  vagaries  of  his  fancy  to  the  Word  of  God. 

''Second.  But  did  'poor  Fidelis'  enjoy,  while  evinc- 
ing his  'ardent  zeal'  and  bearing  his  'dauntless  testi- 
mony' and  rejoicing  in  the  Savior's  worship  'from 
day  to  day,'  no  opportunity  to  be  baptized?  Rather 
let  it  be  said  of  him,  that,  by  neglecting  his  duty 
during  this  time,  he  proved  himself  a  disobedient 
wretch,  who,  if  cast  into  prison,  deserved  to  suffer  the 
whole  consequence  of  his  folly.  Clearly  he  was  not 
taught  by  a  man  who  practised  after  the  Apostle's 
example,  else  the  same  hour  of  the  night  in  which  he 
heard  the  Truth  and  believed  it  he  would  have  been 
baptized;  what  then  would  have  signified  his  im- 
prisonment? 

"Third.  Or  did  he  neglect  his  duty  because  taught, 
as  Mr.  Jeter  teaches,  that  baptism  is  not  essential  to 
remission?  If  so,  let  him  be  condemned  for  prefer- 
ring the  counsels  of  wicked  men  to  the  counsels  of 
God,  and  hold  the  presumptuous  preacher  responsible 
for  the  lie  that  led  him  astray.  But,  if  he  had  not 
the  opportunity  to  be  baptized,  then  it  was  not  his 
duty.  It  is  no  more  man's  duty  to  be  baptized, 
where  baptism  is  impossible,  than  it  is  to  believe 
where  belief  is  impossible.  It  is  not  what  men  cannot 
do,  but  what  they  can  do,  and  have  the  opportunity 
of  doing,  that  God  requires  at  their  hands.  Where 
there  is  no  ability  there  is  no  responsibility." 


136  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

The  foregoing  extracts  do  not  properly  set  forth  the 
works  in  question.  They  are  too  brief.  Sufficient  ex- 
tracts have  been  made,  however,  to  demonstrate  two 
things:  First,  that  Mr.  Jeter's  ideas  of  what  he  termed 
''Campbellism"  were  not  the  ideas  advanced  by  Mr. 
Campbell,  but  those  which  were  imputed  to  him  by  his 
enemies.  Hence  many  of  the  views  he  assailed  were 
never  held  by  Mr.  Campbell  or  any  of  his  co-laborers. 
Second,  that  Mr.  Lard's  ''Review"  was  clear  and  logical, 
but  there  was  in  it  a  spirit  of  invective  which,  what- 
ever the  justification  it  might  have  had  in  the  hght  of 
those  times,  we  would  not  wish  reproduced  in  this  our 
day. 

It  is  a  matter  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  Mr.  Jeter 
made  such  an  unprovoked  attack,  and  especially  at 
just  the  time  when  these  two  religious  bodies  w^ere  draw- 
ing closer  together.  There  had  been  much  talk  of  a  new 
translation  of  the  Scriptures,  and  in  the  providence  of 
God,  Baptists  and  disciples  were  called  together  to 
consider  the  work.  Just  at  that  time  ''Campbellism 
Examined"  appeared.  All  the  old  party  dogmatism 
and  prejudices  in  both  ranks  were  aroused.  The  work 
of  reconciliation  was  thrust  aside  for  a  time,  to  be  begun 
anew  when  the  feelings  of  both  had  subsided. 


CHAPTER  XL 

HELPS  AND  HINDRANCES. 

The  design  of  this  little  volume  is  to  set  forth  the 
work  of  the  pioneers,  those  grand  old  men  who  counted 
no  sacrifice  too  dear  in  the  cause  of  their  Savior.  We 
have  now  passed  the  period  of  their  work,  and  they  are 
resting  from  their  labors.  Before  we  draw  the  veil 
that  hides  them  from  sight  but  not  from  memory,  let 
us  take  a  brief  glance  at  the  fortunes  of  the  work  they 
were  instrumental  in  establishing. 

The  restoration  movement  in  Virginia  suffered  from 
two  great  backsets.  The  first  was  Dr.  Jeter's  books, 
mentioned  in  our  last  chapter.  The  second  one  was 
the  war  between  the  States. 

Our  reader  might  not  at  first  be  able  to  understand 
how  the  work  could  have  suffered  from  the  first  cause 
mentioned  when  these  books  were  so  ably  refuted  by 
Mr.  Lard.  This  will  be  clear,  however,  when  it  is  re- 
membered that  nearly  two  years  passed  between  the 
publication  of  Mr.  Jeter  and  the  review  of  it  by  Bro. 
Lard.  This  gave  ample  time  for  the  former  to  do  its 
work.  It  was  accepted  by  many  as  a  true  relation 
of  the  principles  of  the  reformation,  and  their  minds 
were  prejudiced  against  the  movement  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  they  never  read  the  refutation  when  it  finally 
appeared.  We  are  very  prone  to  form  adverse  views 
to  any  movement  upon  the  published  statements  of  its 
enemies.     Many  have  been  turned  against  the  Christian 


138  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

religion  by  reading  Mr.  Paine's  ''Age  of  Reason,"  who 
have  never  read  any  of  the  numerous  refutations  of 
that  work,  nor  studied  the  evidences  for  the  divine 
foundation  of  this  rehgion.  It  was  many  years  before 
prejudice  in  the  pubhc  mind  in  Virginia  could  be  over- 
come, and  to  this  day  there  remain  in  the  minds  of 
some  false  ideas  concerning  the  movement  with  which 
we  stand  identified,  which,  from  their  nature,  are 
plainly  attributable  to  "Campbellism  Examined." 
Even  Dr.  Jeter  himself  confessed  at  a  general  conven- 
tion of  the  Disciples,  held  in  Seventh-Street  Christian 
Church,  Richmond^  in  1876,  that  if  the  Disciples  had 
stood  fifty  years  ago  where  they  stood  then,  and  the 
Baptists  the  same,  there  would  never  have  been  any 
split,  and  many  things  in  ''Campbelhsm  Examined" 
would  never  have  been  written.  The  change  alluded 
to  had  taken  place  in  Dr.  Jeter's  views  concerning  the 
Disciples  rather  than  in  them.  The  second  cause  from 
which  we  suffered  was,  as  before  stated,  the  w^ar.  This, 
indeed,  caused  all  religious  bodies  to  suffer.  The  coun- 
try was  impoverished  for  years,  and  had  to  deal  with 
the  vexatious  problems  of  political  and  social  as  well 
as  religious  reformation.  But  the  movement  for  the 
restoration  of  the  primitive  Christianity  of  Christ  and 
His  Apostles  suffered  more  than  others  because  it  was 
not  so  well  nor  so  thoroughly  established  as  the  older 
religious  bodies.  It  had  withstood  the  shock  of  many 
theological  battles,  never  faltering,  but  now  it  must 
give  up  devoted  followers  to  the  demands  of  the  more 
dreaded  foe, — war.  Years  must  be  taken  from  the 
proclamation  of  the  truth  and  given  to  test  the  rights 


Helps  and  Hindrances  139 

of  States.  The  will  of  God,  but  freshly  learned  and 
understood,  must  be  driven  from  the  mind  by  the  awful 
pictures  of  unholy  war.  Churches  were  closed  up  but 
to  be  broken  open  and  polluted  or  riddled  with  shot 
and  shell.  The  beautiful  groves  that  are  ever  to  be 
seen  around  the  country  meeting-house  in  Virginia 
were  often  made  the  burial-ground  for  the  soldier  dead. 
A  skirmish  occurred  in  the  church-yard  of  Olive 
Branch  Church,  James  City  county.  The  remains  of 
five  Federal  soldiers  are  buried  there,  and  a  bullet  may 
still  be  seen  imbedded  in  the  door.  This  church  was 
robbed  of  its  doors  and  windows  and  set  on  fire,  burn- 
ing a  large  hole  in  the  floor  before  it  was  extinguished 
by  the  neighbors.  The  communion  set  was  also  stolen 
by  a  Federal  soldier.  A  few  years  after  the  war  he 
returned  it,  with  a  note  saying  his  conscience  con- 
demned him. 

In  the  desperate  battles  of  Fredericksburg  and  the 
Wilderness  the  meeting-house  at  the  former  place  was 
torn  and  shattered  with  shot  and  shell,  the  member- 
ship was  scattered,  and  the  church  left  completely  dis- 
organized. In  the  terrible  bombardment  of  December, 
1863,  for  twelve  hours  a  deluge  of  shot  and  shell  was 
poured  upon  the  streets  and  houses  of  Fredericksburg. 
The  inhabitants  fled  for  their  lives  from  this  leaden 
hail  that  was  beating  their  homes  to  pieces,  and  the 
town  was  virtually  left  to  the  ravages  of  war.  Amid 
these  scenes  the  old  Fredericksburg  Christian  Church 
met  its  doom.  After  being  badly  damaged,  the  build- 
ing was  turned  into  a  hospital  for  the  wounded  Federals. 
The  laroe  windows  were  torn  out,  the  floors  stained 


140  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

with  blood,  the  benches  made  into  coffins,  and  fences 
and  all  other  available  material  burned  for  firewood. 
The  communion  service  also  was  carried  off,  and  for 
thirty-five  years,  so  completely  was  the  work  demoral- 
ized, this  ''house  of  the  Lord"  was  left  unto  its  people 
desolate,  the  eyesore  and  common  property  of  the 
town  and  a  disgrace  to  the  cause  for  which  it  was  dedi- 
cated. It  has  since  been  remodeled,  and  during  the 
past  year  the  United  States  Government  has  paid  in- 
demnity for  the  damage  done  to  the  building. 

But  while  the  work  of  desolation  and  destruction 
went  on  there  were  those  who  could  not  be  turned  from 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  The  following  incident 
is  related  of  Bro.  Abell: 

While  Lee's  army  lay  on  one  side  of  the  Rapidan, 
watching  Grant's  on  the  other  side,  George  Washington 
Abell  was  vigorousl}^  attacking  Satan's  host  with  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit.  A  goodly  number  of  South  Caro- 
lina's gallant  sons  surrendered  to  Prince  Messiah.  As 
Bro.  Abell  descended  into  the  water,  preparatory  to 
the  burial  of  the  slain  ones,  he  touchingly  alluded  to  the 
fact  that  these  individuals,  following  the  example  of 
the  banner  State,  had  nobly  seceded  from  Satan's 
kingdom  and  rallied  to  the  banner  of  the  Cross.  Then 
solemnly  immersing  them,  and  raising  them  up  again, 
he  invoked  Heaven's  richest  benediction  upon  them, 
and  sent  them  back  to  camp. 

At  the  sacking  of  Richmond  the  office  where  the 
Christian  Intelligencer  was  published  was  burned  and 
all  the  records  of  former  years  destroyed.  This  left 
the  Virginia  Disciples  without  a  medium  of  communi- 


Helps  and  Hindrances  141 

cation  for  a  few  years,  but  finally  this  paper  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Christian  Examiner. 

Much  has  been  said  about  the  dissension  between 
Baptists  and  Disciples  in  this  volume,  and  no  more  fit- 
ting close  can  be  given  it  than  a  brief  account  of  the 
historic  conference  of  representatives  of  these  two  bod- 
ies in  Richmond  in  April.  1866,  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
sidering the  differences  between  the  two  bodies,  and,  if 
possible,  effecting  a  union  of  them.  There  were  six- 
teen representatives  from  each  Church.  Among  the 
Baptists  were  such  men  as  Jeter,  Poindexter,  Burrows 
and  Broaddus,  and  among  the  Disciples  were  Pendleton, 
Goss,  Henley,  Ainslie,  Walthall,  Du  Val,  Hopson  and 
Shelburne.  According  to  the  plan  mapped  out,  the 
Baptists  were  to  submit  a  statement  of  their  belief,  to 
which  the  disciples  were  to  respond,  and  the  Baptists 
to  furnish  a  final  rejoinder.  These  documents  we  give 
in  full. 

Declaration  of  Belief  Submitted  by  Baptists. 

We  utterly  repudiate  all  creeds  or  confessions  of 
faith  as  of  binding  force  upon  the  consciences  or 
conduct  of  men ;  yet  we  deem  it  essential  that  churches 
should,  in  some  form,  state  distinctly  and  unec^ui vo- 
cally their  understanding  of  the  fundamental  doc- 
trines and  duties  taught  in  the  Word  of  God,  in  order 
to  union  among  themselves,  and  that  they  may  be 
understood  by  others.  We  therefore  offer  to  the 
Convention  the  following  as  such  a  statement  of  the 
views  of  the  Baptist  denomination  regarding  the 
subjects  embraced  therein: 

Art.  1.  The  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments were  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  are  the 


142  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

only  sufficient,  certain  and  authoritative  rule  of  all 
saving  knowledge,  faith  and  obedience. 

Art.  2.  Agreement  in  the  belief  of  the  fundamental 
facts  and  doctrines  of  the  New  Testament  is  essen- 
tial to  Christian  union. 

Art.  3.  There  is  one  God,  the  Maker,  Preserver, 
and  Ruler  of  all  things,  having  in  and  of  himself  all 
perfection,  and  being  infinite  in  them  all.  He  is 
revealed  to  us  as  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost, 
each  with  distinct  personal  attributes,  but  without 
division  of  nature,  essence  or  being. 

Art.  4.  God  originally  created  man  in  his  own 
image,  free  from  sin,  but,  through  the  temptation 
of  Satan,  he  transgressed  the  commandment  of  God 
and  fell  from  his  original  holiness  and  righteousness, 
whereby  his  posterity  inherit  a  nature  corrupt  and 
wholly  opposed  to  God  and  his  law,  are  under  condem- 
nation, and  as  soon  as  they  are  capable  of  moral 
action,  become  actual  transgressors. 

Art.  5.  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God, 
is  the  divinely  appointed  and  onl}-  Mediator  between 
God  and  man.  He  perfectly  fulfilled  the  law;  suffered 
and  died  upon  the  cross  for  the  salvation  of  sinners; 
was  buried,  and  rose  again  the  third  day,  and  ascended 
to  his  Father;  at  whose  right  hand  he  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  his  people. 

Art.  6.  Regeneration  is  a  change  of  heart,  wrought 
through  the  truth  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  wdio  quickeneth 
the  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  enlightening  their 
minds  spiritually  to  undertsand,  and  savingly  to 
believe  the  Word  of  God,  so  that  they  love  and  practice 
holiness. 

Art.  7.  Repentance  is  that  change  of  mind  and 
heart  in  which  the  sinner,  being  m.acle  sensible  of  the 
evil  and  pollution  of  sin,  turns  from  it  with  godly 
sorrow  and  abhorrence. 


Helps  and  Hindrances  143 

Art.  8.  Faith  is  a  sincere  belief  of  the  Gospel,  in 
fThe  exercise  of  which  we  heartily  receive  and  rest 
upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  alone  for  salvation. 

Art.  9.  Justification  is  that  act  of  God  in  which 
he  pardons  and  accepts  the  believer  as  righteous, 
through  faith  in  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  not  on 
account  of  the  performance  of  any  duty. 

Art.  10.  Those  who  have  been  regenerated  are  also 
sanctified  by  God's  Word  and  Spirit  dvv'elling  in  them. 
This  sanctification  is  progressive,  and  is  carried  for- 
ward through  the  supply  of  divine  strength  unto 
eternal   life. 

Art.  11.  A  visible  Church  of  Christ  is  a  congregation 
of  ba])tized  behevers  associated  in  the  faith  and 
fellowship  of  the  Gospel,  subject  only  to  the  authority 
of  Christ,  governed  by  His  laws,  and  observing  His 
ordinances  with  the  officers  of  His  appointment,  to  wit: 
the  pastors,  or  bishops,  or  elders  and  deacons. 

Art.  12.  Ministers  of  the  Gospel  are  called  of  God 
and  set  apart  by  the  churches  to  their  office.  It  is 
their  duty  to  labor  to  secure  a  continual  increase  of 
knowledge  and  fitness  for  their  work,  and  to  devote 
themselves  earnestly  to  it,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
churches  to  support  them  while  thus  engaged. 

Art.  13.  Christian  baptism  is  the  immersion  of  a 
believer  in  water  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  to  show  forth  in  a  solemn 
and  beautiful  emblem  his  faith  in  a  crucified,  buried 
and  risen  Savior,  and  the  remission  of  sins  through 
that  faith.  It  is  prerequisite  to  Church  m.embership, 
and  to  a  participation  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  To  this 
ordinance  it  is  the  duty  of  every  believer  to  submit. 

Art.  14.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  an  institution  of 
Jesus  Christ,  in  which,  by  partaking  of  bread  and  wine 
as  emblems  of  his  body  and  blood,  we  commemorate 
His  dying  love;  and  only  members  of  the  Church  in 
good  standing  are  entitled  to  receive  it. 


1 44  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Art.  15.  The  first  day  of  the  week  is  the  Lord's 
Day,  and  it  is  to  be  kept  sacred  to  religious  purposes 
b}^  abstaining  from  all  secular  labor  and  recreation,  by 
the  assembling  of  the  Churches  for  worship,  and  by 
diligence  in  the  exercises  of  private  devotion. 

Art.  16.  It  is  the  duty  of  Christians  and  Christian 
Churches  to  labor  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel 
throughout  the  world,  and  in  doing  so,  they  may  unite 
in  missionary  and  other  associations,  provided  that 
such  associations  shall  have  no  ecclesiastical  authority. 

Art.  17.  There  will  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
both  of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust. 

Art.  18.  God  hath  appointed  a  day  in  which  he 
will  judge  the  world  by  Jesus  Christ,  when  every  one 
shall  receive  according  to  his  deed;  the  wicked  shall 
go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  the  righteous 
into  life  eternal. 

Response  by  the  Disciples. 

preamble. 

We  agree  in  utter  repudiation  of  creeds.  But  we 
dissent  from  the  position  that  churches  state  their 
understanding  of  fundamental  doctrines,  etc.,  in  order 
to  union  among  themselves,  etc. 

Article  1.  Agreed. 

Art.  2.  Substitute  ''truths"  for  ''doctrines,"  and 
"Gospel"  for  "New  Testament." 

Art.  3.  Substitute:  "The  Holy  Scriptures  reveal 
the  divinity,  and  personality,  and  unity,  of  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit." 

Art.  4.  Substitute:  "That  sin  having  entered  into 
the  world  b}^  one  man,  in  whom  all  have  sinned,  and 
death  by  sin,  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men;  man 
is  therefore  by  nature  sinful,  and  by  transgression  a 
sinner,  and  thus,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins." 


Helps  and  Hindrances  145 

Art.  5.  Agreed. 

Art.  6.  Regeneration,  as  used  in  the  Scriptures, 
is  a  process  which  inchides  a  change  of  heart,  wrought 
by  the  Hoh^  Spirit,  through  the  truth,  and  a  birth  of 
water  in  an  immersion  into  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Art.  7.  Agreed. 

Art.  8.  Agreed. 

Art.  9.  Substitute:  ''Justification  is  an  act  of  God 
pardoning  the  sinner  and  treating  him  as  righteous, 
through  faith  in  the  atonement  of  Christ. 

Art.  10.  Substitute:  ''Sanctification  is  a  separa- 
tion to  the  service  of  God,  in  which  the  children  of 
God  perfect  holiness,  through  the  Word  and  Spirit 
dwelling  in  them." 

Art.  11.  Agreed,  with  ''immersed"  for  "baptized," 
and  erase  "visible." 

Art.  12.  Accept,  with  the  omission  "called  of  God," 
because  equivocal,  and  as  a  very  incomplete  state- 
ment of  duties,  etc. 

Art.  13.  Substitute:  Christian  baptism  is  the  im- 
mersion in  water  of  a  penitent  believer,  into  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
for  the  remission  of  sins;  and  is  a  prerequisite  to 
Church  membership,  and  to  a  participation  of  the 
Lord's  Supper. 

Art.   14.  Agreed. 

Art.  15.  Altered.  The  first  day  of  the  week  is 
the  Lord's  Day,  and  should  be  sacredly  devoted  to 
religious  culture,  in  assembling  the  churches  for  cele- 
brating the  Lord's  Supper,  and  in  other  acts  of  public 
worship,  and  in  diligence  in  private  devotion. 

Art.  16.  Agreed. 

Art.  17.  Agreed. 

Art.  18.  Agreed. 


10 


146  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Baptist  Rejoinder. 

Art.  1.  Adhered  to;  adding  ''written  or  unwritten" 
after  form. 

Art.  2.  Accept  ''truths"  for  "doctrines,"  but 
adhere  to  "New  Testament." 

Art.  3.  We  prefer  ours. 

Art.  4.  Adhered  to. 

Art.  6.  Adhered  to. 

Art.  9.  Substitute  for  our  article  and  yours:  Justi- 
fication is  that  act  of  God  in  which  he  pardons  and 
accepts  as  righteous  every  man  immediately  upon 
the  exercise  of  faith  in  the  atonement  of  Christ. 

Art.  10.  Adhered  to. 

Art.  11.  Accept  your  amendments. 

Art.  12.  We  propose,  "moved  bv  the  Spirit,"  or 
"called  of  God." 

Art.  13.  Adhered  to;  inserting  (after  your  example), 
"penitent"  before  "believer." 

Art.  15.  Adhered  to;  with  explanation  by  the 
president,  that  "we  would  not  bar  churches  from 
weekly  communion." 

It  will  be  seen  that  eighteen  articles  were  presented; 
eight  of  which  were  accepted  by  the  Disciples  with- 
out any  change  whatever;  seven  others  accepted 
with  som^e  verbal  changes,  and  leaving  only  three  in 
which  there  was  not  substantial  agreement.  These 
three  were  articles,  9,  6  and  13,  respectively,  treating 
of  the  doctrines  of  justification,  regeneration  and  Chris- 
tian baptism.  The  Baptists  held  justification  to  be  an 
act  of  God  irrespective  of  any  works  on  the  part  of  man. 
The  disciples  simply  struck  out  the  clause  pertaining 
to  works.  On  the  doctrine  of  regeneration,  the  Bap- 
tists taught  that  it  was  a  spiritual  change  wrought  in  the 


Helps  and  Hindrances  I47 

heart,  while  the  disciples  taught  that  it  comprised  both 
change  of  heart  and  a  birth  of  water.  As  to  baptism, 
the  Baptists  taught  that  it  was  to  be  performed  on  ac- 
count of,  or  as  a  sign  or  emblem  of,  the  remission  of 
sins,  while  the  disciples  taught  that  it  was  to  be  per- 
formed for  the  remission  of  sins. 

When  the  articles,  together  with  the  Baptist  re- 
joinder, were  read  before  the  Convention,  the  gifted 
and  far-seeing  Jas.  W.  Goss  (disciple)  arose  and  said: 
''Mr.  President,  the  differences  existing  between 
us  are  apparent  to  all.  Are  they  sufficient,  in  your 
estimation,  to  prevent  fellowship,  ecclesiastical  or  other- 
wise?'' 

President.— ''Well,  we  have  approximated  so 
closely  to  each  other  that  we  think  we  can  get  nearer 
together  upon  mutual  explanation." 

Mr.  Goss.— "Mr.  President,  my  question  is  not  an- 
swered. If  we  cannot  subscribe  to  that  document,  and 
I  tell  you  frankly  that  we  cannot,  will  you  have  church 
fellowship  with  us?  We  have  expressed  ourselves 
plainly.  We  think  you  understand  us.  We  think  we 
understand  you.  Are  these  differences  great  enough, 
in  your  judgment,  to  prevent  ecclesiastical  union?" 

Several  speeches  were  made  at  this  point.  Mr. 
James  D.  Coleman  (disciple)  expressed  himself  as  be- 
highly  gratified  at  the  meeting;  glad  to  find  that  the 
differences  were  so  few,  and  that  upon  explanation  even 
these  had  dwindled  into  insignificance.  Mr.  Shaver 
(Baptist)  thought  that  the  differences  were  far  wider 
and  greater  than  any  of  the  speeches  on  either  side  indi- 
cated; hoped  that  the  proceedings  would  be  published— 


148  The  Pica  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

was  not  willing  to  trust  to  treacherous  memory,  es- 
pecially since  it  had  been  stated  on  that  floor  before 
the  adjournment  of  the  Convention  tliat  the  differences 
had  dwindled  into  insignificance. 

Dr.  Poindextcr  (Baptist)  and  W.  K.  Pendleton  (dis- 
ciple) engaged  in  some  metaphysical  rencounters,  after 
which  Dr.  Hopson  (disciple)  said: 

''Mr.  President,  you  invited  us  here  for  a  friendly 
talk  with  reference  to  union.  We  both  belong  to  the 
same  great  family  of  immersionists;  we  both  baptize  the 
same  character.  We  differ,  not  with  regard  to  what 
God  does  nor  what  the  sinner  must  do.  We  both  teach 
that  men  must  believe,  repent  and  be  baptized.  We 
differ  as  to  the  time  God  passes  an  executive  act  in  His 
own  mind.  Will  you  take  the  responsibility  of  saying 
that  while  we  have  invited  these  peo]:)le  to  meet  us  in 
friendly,  social  talk  with  reference  to  union,  and  tliough 
we  agree  in  nearly  all  of  the  eighteen  articles  submitted, 
we  will  not  have  church  fellowship  with  them?" 

Mr.  John  Hart  (Baptist)  rose  and  said: 

''Mr.  President,  I  do  not  agree  with  Dr.  Hopson 
that  we  both  baptize  the  same  character.  You  bap- 
tize the  penitent  behever;  we  baptize  the  penitent,  par- 
doned, justified  believer.  It  is  time  for  Bro.  Goss's 
question  to  be  answered.  As  for  myself  and  church, 
we  are  not  willing  to  have  church  fellowship  with  them 
so  long  as  these  differences  exist." 

Mr.  Goss  then  said: 

"Mr.  President,  Bro.  Hart  has  fairh-  and  justly 
stated  the  differences  between  us  on  this  question.  We 
both  baptize  the  penitent  believer.     Here  we  begin  to 


Heljui  and  Hindrances  149 

differ.  We  baptize  the  penitent  believer;  you  baptize 
the  penitent,  pardoned,  justified  beUever.  But  there 
is  a  practical  difference.  I  beg  leave  to  illustrate:  A 
young  man  comes  to  you,  sir,  and  tells  you  that  he  be- 
lieves in  Jesus  and  repents  of  his  sins,  but  that  he  has 
no  assurance  of  pardon.  He  remembers  that  Jesus 
said,  '  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved ' ; 
and  he  wishes  you  to  baptize  him,  that  he  may  claim 
that  promise.  You,  sir,  cannot  baptize  him.  He 
comes  to  me,  tells  me  that  he  believes  in  Jesus  and 
wishes  to  put  himself  under  Christ's  government  and 
care.  I  say  to  him,  ^  Arise  and  be  baptized  and  wash 
away  thy  sins'." 

He  took  his  seat.  Silence  reigned  for  a  minute.  To 
this  speech  there  was  no  reply.  There  could  be  none. 
All  felt  its  power.  A  motion  to  publish  the  minutes  of 
the  meeting  was  offered  and  discussed,  and  then  the 
Convention  adjourned. 

Tt  was  thought  advisable  not  to  publish  the  minutes 
of  the  Convention,  but  a  copy  was  placed  with  one  mem- 
ber of  each  party  in  the  Convention,  and  these  brethren 
were  instructed  not  to  publish  the  minutes  unless  they 
should  hereafter,  on  account  of  some  necessity  not  now 
perceived,  jointly  agree  that  the  publication  of  said 
minutes  would  do  good.  At  the  same  time  an  address, 
which  had  been  reported  by  a  committee  in  an  imper- 
fect state,  was  referred  to  a  committee  for  revision  and 
publication.  As  it  set  forth  the  spirit  of  the  Conven- 
tion and  received  the  endorsement  of  both  parties,  we 
append  it. 


150  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Address  of  the  Convention  of  Baptists  and  Disciples 
held  in  Richmond  April  24,  25,  26  and  28,  1866, 
to  the  Churches  of  these  two  bodies  in  the  State  of 
Virginia. 

Dear  Brethen: — We  have  met  in  this  Conven- 
tion, not  as  delegates  appointed  to  transact  business 
for  you,  but  as  a  voluntary  convention  of  professed 
Christian  men,  earnestly  desirous  to  promote  the 
cause  of  Bible  truth,  and  to  bring  nearer  to  each  other 
the  divided  forces  of  our  Lord's  great  army. 

It  had  been  hoped  by  many  that  the  influence  of 
time,  and  the  more  thorough  study  of  the  divine 
Word,  had  brought  us  so  near  to  each  other  in  mind 
and  heart,  and  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures, 
as  to  make  it  manifest  that  we  could  jointly  recom- 
mend to  our  churches  in  Virginia  a  more  intimate 
ecclesiastical  co-operation  than  has  heretofore  existed, 
hoping  that  fraternal,  mutual  courtesies  would  sooner 
or  later  lead  to  a  cordial  ecclesiastical  union  of  the  two 
bodies. 

With  a  view  fully  to  ascertain  each  other's  views  of 
the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  we  have  for  four  days  met 
for  conversation  and  kind  discussion  of  the  ciuestions 
deemed  necessary  to  be  discussed  on  the  occasion.  We 
have  frequent!}"  united  in  appealing  to  the  God  and 
Father  of  our  I^ord  Jesus  Christ  that  he  would  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  lead  us  to  right  conclusions  in  the  premises. 
During  our  entire  session  there  has  prevailed  as  much 
of  Christian  courtesy  and  brotherly  kindness  as  we 
have  ever  seen  manifested  in  a  body  of  thirty  men 
engaged  in  the  discussion  of  questions  involving 
Christian  fellowship.  But,  after  all,  we  have  reached 
the  conclusion  deliberately,  however  reluctantly,  that 
the  time  has  not  yet  come  when  the  Baptists  and 
Disciples  are,  on  both  sides  prepared,  with  a  prospect 
of  perfect  harmony,  to  commit  themselves  to  any 
degree   of   co-operation   beyond   such   courtesies   and 


Helps  and  Hindrances  l5l 

personal  kindnesses  as  members  of  churches  of  different 
denominations  may  individually  choose  to  engage  in. 

We  would  express,  however,  with  much  gratitude 
to  our  common  Father,  the  gratification  we  have  felt, 
and  still  feel,  in  having  developed  by  this  interview 
an  agreement  of  views  as  to  the  great  facts,  and 
truths,  and  duties  of  the  Gospel,  far  more  extensive 
and  practically  identical  than  many  of  our  brethren 
had  supposed  to  exist;  and  we  would  earnestly  recom- 
mend to  the  brethren  of  the  two  bodies  in  the  State  of 
Virginia  to  cultivate  the  spirit  of  fraternal  kindness 
and  Christian  courtesy  toward  each  other — to  keep 
in  mind  the  prayer  of  our  T.ord  that  all  his  people 
might  be  one;  and  while  they  cultivate  the  spirit  of 
peace,  to  refrain  as  far  as  possible  from  everything 
that  would  tend  to  alienate  from  each  other  those 
who,  in  regard  to  so  many  precious  and  important 
truths  taught  in  the  Word  of  God,  give  the  same  inter- 
pretation, and  in  regard  to  so  many  Christian  prac- 
tices are  of  one  mind. 

Signed  by  the  direction  of  the  Convention. 

W.  F.  Broaddus, 
J.  W.  Goss. 
April  27,  1866. 

Thus  passed  into  history  the  memorable  congress  of 
Baptists  and  Disciples.  If  it  fell  short  of  the  accom- 
plishment of  its  greatest  object,  it  was  not  an  entire 
failure.  Some  prejudices  that  had  long  kept  these  two 
great  bodies  of  God's  people  apart  were  swept  away. 
The  very  fact  of  their  meeting  together  in  such  an  as- 
sembly was  in  itself  a  triumph.  We  hope  and  pray 
that  the  day  may  not  be  far  distant  when  they  shall  be 
united  on  the  Apostles'  testimony,  and  plead  with  their 
united  strength  the  Gospel  of  a  risen  Savior  in  its  pris- 
tine purity  and  primitive  simplicity. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

OUR  STATUS  IN  THIS  STATE. 

The  following  address  on  ''Our  Status  in  This  State" 
was  delivered  before  the  Christian  Ministerial  Associa- 
tion of  Yiroinia  by  Dr.  Bullard  at  the  session  held  in 
Lynchburg  in  May,  1879.  It  presents  a  review  of  the 
work  throughout  the  State  by  one  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  the  work  in  its  pioneer  days,  and  forms 
a  fitting  chapter  with  which  to  close  the  first  part  of 
this  work. 

The  Christian  Church  is  a  child  of  stern  necessity, 
the  offspring  of  moral  law  as  inviolate  as  the  physical 
law  which  is  now  pressing  the  flowers  to  fruitage. 
Those  of  us  who  came  first  were  compelled  to  read, 
compelled  to  think,  and  compelled  to  pray  with  deep- 
felt  groans  known  only  to  ourselves  and  to  God.  We 
had  power  to  resist  neither  our  convictions  nor  the 
utterance  of  them.  Hence,  under  God,  that  bodv 
called  'The  Disciples,"  or  "Christian  Church."  Now 
it  is  a  small  matter  that  we  can  say  that  it  is  lurger 
than  any  other  church  for  its  years;  that  its  teachings, 
once  deemed  soul-damning,  are  echoed  from  most  every 
pulpit.  This  would  not  prove  it  the  offspring  of  God. 
To  settle  this  question  we  must  see  whether  those  who 
have  fled  from  other  churches  to  us  for  refuge  have 
found  themselves  nearer  to  God;  more  in  earnest  to 
know  and  do  his  will;  fed  on  more  spiritual  food;  im- 
proved in  liberality  and  piety.  Do  we  constitute 
a  soul-saving  organization?  Seventy  winters  have 
cooled  the  blood  of  some  of  us.     We  have  come  here  to 


Our  Status  in  This  State  153 

consider  and  to  realize  what  we  are,  what  we  have  done, 
what  we  are  doing.  That  which  I  have  to  present, 
however,  will  deal  largely  with  the  past,  and  must  par- 
take, in  a  measure,  of  the  nature  of  personal  reminis- 
cences. 

I  turn  first  to  Tidewater,  the  orient  of  our  movement, 
and  ask  what  has  she  done  with  her  means  and  oppor- 
tunities, with  a  large  instalment  of  members  from  the 
Baptist  churches,  her  clever  resident  preachers — Hen- 
ley, Ainslie,  Duval,  Curtis,  Dangerfield,  and  pretty 
earlv  Henshall  and  others;  to  say  nothing  of  Burnett, 
and*^the  frequent  presence  of  the  Campbells,  the  syn- 
onym of  victory?  We  cannot  overpraise  the  heroic 
conscientiousness,  zeal,  and  perseverance  of  these  men, 
which,  in  some  instances,  greatly  exceeded  their  pru- 
dence, temperance  and  charity.  It  was  neither  wise, 
kind  nor  just  to  trace  the  lineage  of  the  churches  around 
us  to  the  ''^Mother  of  Harlots."  And  did  not  some  of 
our  old  brethren  deem  it  hardly  prudent  to  express  the 
conviction  that  honest  unimmersed  persons  would  be 
saved? — while  some  of  them  sympathized  with  Dr. 
Thomas  in  the  sentiment  that  Baptist  immersions 
were  invalid.  But  those  were  the  days  of  conflict. 
What  a  joy  it  must  have  been  to  some  of  them 
to  discover  that  we  had  not  monopolized  all  the  fruits 
of  the  Spirit!  Such  discoveries  are  helpful  to  the 
soul.  If,  then,  when  the  battle  waned,  our  Tidewater 
brethren  could  have  retained  their  original  zeal  and 
concentrated  it  on  Sunday-schools,  evangelizing,  and 
training  young  men  for  elders,  truly  able  to  feed  the 
flock  of  Ciod,  who  could  estimate  the  results?  Not  that 
she  has  been  behind  other  districts  in  these  labors  of 
love,  for,  though  lying  pretty  much  upon  her  oars  for 
some  time,  with  few  Sunday-schools,  with  sparse 
monthly  preachings,  content  to  share  with  all  the  other 
districts  in  the  State  in  one  evangelist,  yet,  since  the 
war,  with  half  her  former  means,  she  has  more  than 


154  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

doubled  her  former  zeal!  In  two  years  after  the  war 
hundreds  were  converted,  of  whom  three  young  men — 
Trible,  Dunn  and  Ainslie, — with  two  former  converts, 
Wynne  and  Power,  were  educated  for  the  work  where- 
unto  God  had  called  them.  Not  all  of  these,  however, 
were  educated  by  the  churches.  New  churches  were 
planted  and  Sunday-schools  started  into  new  life. 
Thus  much  for  Tidewater,  with  her  thunders  checked 
mid- valley.  The  banner  district  in  the  work  for  edu- 
cating young  men  for  the  ministry,  yet  her  flag  floats 
at  half-mast,  in  mourning,  we  hope,  that  she  has  done 
no  more.  She  does  not  support  even  one  elder  in  every 
church;  and  what  bread  of  life  is  she  sending  to  the 
destitute? 

If  Richmond  desires  a  personal  notice,  I  have  only 
to  say  that  in  the  year  1835,  from  the  most  auspicious 
beginnings,  her  lamp  was  almost  extinct;  while  now 
she  is  a  power  greater  than  some  whole  districts. 

Piedmont,  not  so  early  in  the  field,  was,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  less  foreign  aid  and  a  powerful  Pedo-Baptist 
resistance,  not  behind  Tidewater  in  men  and  means, 
comparing  territory.  Hear  these  names — Bagby, 
Webber,  Higgason,  Pendletons,  Hunter;  last,  but  not 
least,  Coleman  and  Goss,  each,  in  his  way,  the  peer  of 
the  best  preachers  of  the  day.  What  an  auspicious 
dawn  at  Gilboa !  Nor  has  she  disappointed  hope.  And 
Charlottesville,  without  rebuffs,  would  to-day  have 
numbered  five  hundred  members,  covering  Albemarle 
with  her  satellites.  She  had  Coleman,  Goss  and  Poin- 
dexter,  and  early  the  only  religious  paper  in  the  town. 
But,  oh,  what  a  blunder  to  have  Dr.  Thomas,  at  the 
organization  of  the  church,  to  insult  the  Episcopalians 
in  their  own  home,  kindly  tendered  for  our  use!  The 
animus  of  this  visit  of  his,  together  with  his  trailing 
Advocate,  threw  a  pall  over  the  church  not  lifted  for 
twenty  years.  Even  A.  Campbell,  who,  in  1840,  spoke 
to  the  great  congregation  as  I  thought  I  never  heard 


Our  status  in  This  State  155 

any  one  speak,  could  not  remove  the  blighting  mildew. 
The  brethren  at  Charlottesville  are  good  men,  true  men; 
have  done  as  nearly  what  they  could  as  any  others, 
and  God  will  not  forget  their  patience  and  labors  of 
love.  I  expect  even  before  I  die  to  hear  of  the  develop- 
ment of  her  latent  strength.  How  bright  was  the  ris- 
ing of  Scottsville.  When  first  I  knew  her  she  had  only 
eight  members.  There  was  no  promise  of  any  more. 
And  then,  in  a  short  time,  I  saw  a  great  church,  in  a 
good  house  of  worship,  reaching  out  her  helping  hands 
into  Buckingham  and  Fluvanna.  Since  that  time  the 
town  has  gone  down,  the  railroad  having  robbed  it  of 
its  trade  from  the  Valley;  and  Barclay,  Trice,  Tyler, 
Staples,  Spencer,  and  that  mother  in  Israel,  Sister 
Staples,  and  many  others  have  gone  over  the  river. 
When  I  think  of  those  dear  brethren,  I  think  of  the  ex- 
hortation, ''Cast  not  away  thy  confidence  which  hath 
great  recompense  of  reward."  Still,  there  is  left  a 
nucleus,  a  seed  pit,  that  may  yet  gladden  the  whole 
land.  But  why  should  I  individualize  the  churches  of 
Piedmont?  I  have  selected  those  which  had  most  to 
bear  to  illustrate  the  vitality  of  Christianity. 

No  point  of  our  endeavors  presented  a  finer  prospect 
of  success  than  Southeastern  Virginia.  Silas  Shel- 
burne,  in  his  acknowledged  purit}^,  integrity,  good 
sense  and  piety,  borrowed  a  lustre  from  his  father. 
Confided  in  by  the  whole  Meherrin  Association,  their 
last  appeal  in  Bible  exegesis,  in  his  mental  maturity, 
we  cannot  fail  to  appreciate  his  strength.  And  then 
in  Lunenburg,  Pettie,  Wilson  and  Barnes;  in  Nottoway, 
James  Jeter,  suave,  genial,  gentlemanly,  sensible,  while 
ardent,  a  good  speaker,  though  so  modest  I  never  heard 
him  but  once,  and  then  by  a  surprise;  in  Amelia, 
Townes,  Young  C.  Day  and  T.  E.  Jeter,  and  though  not 
then  a  preacher,  Walthall,  whom  we  all  know  so  well, 
and  what  his  influence  must  have  been  (he  diffused  the 
Christian  Baptist  in  1824—5,  and  was  the  first  elder  in 


156  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Paineville  in  1830) ;  in  Powhatan  the  saintly  Wren. 
What  prevented  the  conquest  of  the  whole  land? 
Mainly,  if  not  simply,  Dr.  John  Thomas,  whose  advent 
into  this  district  was  signalized  by  his  refusing  to  pray 
with  a  pious  Methodist  family  with  whom  he  first  found 
shelter  in  lAinenburg,  because  his  host  had  not  been 
baptized!  Before  he  left  there  were  very  few  who 
wanted  to  be  baptized,  though  he  had  fine  success  in 
diffusing  his  incendiary  views  in  the  churches.  His 
partisans  increased  with  his  every  visit  until,  in  1840, 
a  mere  handful  still  affiliated  with  Shelburne  and 
Pettie,  for  Campbell's  and  Thomas'  reconciliation  had 
gone  for  nothing.  Do  not  for  a  moment  imagine 
that  Thomas'  friends  were  worthless.  In  all  the 
country  no  better  men  could  be  fovmd  than  many  who 
supported  him  with  all  their  strength.  Here  please 
make  a  note,  and  tell  me  what  ought  to  be  done  with 
good  men  whose  heads  are  full  of  nonsense,  while  their 
hearts  and  lives  are  right?  The  cause  did  indeed  seem 
dead  in  Southeastern  Virginia.  But  ''God  had  not 
cast  away  His  people  whom  he  foreknew."  In  1841 
what  seemed  to  be  the  cold  cheek  of  death  began  to 
glow,  and  in  five  years  a  thousand  were  added  to  the 
Church,  new  churches  were  established,  new  houses 
were  built,  old  ones  repaired,  Sunday-schools  sprang 
up,  the  people  began  to  sing  and  weep  and  pray.  In 
1869  I  found  them  still  a  live  people.  As  an  evidence, 
they  educated  Bro.  James  Wilson,  of  whom  they  were 
so  early  and  sadly  bereaved.  I  am  hoping  to  hear  of 
more  being  schooled,  and  of  an  able  resident  teacher  in 
every  church. 

Following  the  course  of  the  sun,  we  come  to  Southern 
Piedmont,  where  forty-odd  years  ago  we  find  one  good 
Disciple,  John  T.  Wooten,  a  native  of  Prince  Edward 
county,  where  he  heard  Jacob  Creath,  on  a  visit  from 
Kentucky  to  his  relatives,  and  where  he  probably  heard 
the  powerful  sermon  of  old  Bro.  Ainslie,  at  Sandy  River, 


Our  Status  in  This  State  157 

in  the  Baptist  Church  so  long  under  the  care  of  the 
estimable  Daniel  Witt.  If  it  had  occurred  to  Bro. 
Wooten,  he  no  doubt  would  have  employed  a  preacher 
(for  he  was  able  to  do  so)  to  preach  to  his  neighbors. 
But  those  were  not  the  days  for  this  sort  of  enterprise, 
nor  was  it  believed  that  money  had  much  to  do  with 
religion.  And  so  this  most  worthy  and  sensible  brother 
was  induced  to  do  what  he  could  in  private  conversa- 
tions. Thus  he  secured  Doyle  and  Shelton;  subse- 
quently, Reuben  Short,  living  forty  miles  west  on 
the  crest  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  He  was  once  a  primitive 
Baptist  preacher.  This  is  the  man  so  eloquently  al- 
luded to  by  Dr.  Duval  in  Richmond,  where  he  said: 
"We  have  gems  from  the  mountains  and  pearls  from 
the  ocean."  But  of  Bro.  Short  it  must  be  said  that, 
with  all  his  brains  and  zeal,  he  was  wont,  like  a  boat- 
man, to  land  his  hearers  on  the  bank  opposite  that  on 
which  he  fixed  his  eyes. 

When  I  first  visited  Henry  county,  two,  besides 
myself,  broke  the  loaf.  To  blunt  whatever  of  hope 
attached  to  South  Piedmont  (I  regret  so  frequently  to 
mention  his  name).  Dr.  Thomas  came  along  with  his 
Advocate,  happily  read  by  few,  but  as  well  calculated  as 
any  document  could  be  to  prejudice  our  cause,  and 
nowhere  did  I  find  more  jealous  ears  than  those  I  first 
addressed  in  Henry  county.  Subsequently  a  rich 
harvest  was  gathered  in  that  and  adjacent  counties. 
And  if  our  brethren  there  could  realize  that  their  soil 
is  still  comparatively  virgin,  and  would  multiply  by 
ten  their  missionary,  Sunday-school  and  educational 
zeal,  it  would  soon  be  seen  that  South  Piedmont  is 
as  much  our  best  field  for  Christian  enterprise  as  it  is 
for  fine  tobacco.  God  help  our  dear  brethren  to  pre- 
empt the  land  before  others  lay  warrant  upon  it.  They 
have  done  well  in  securing  Bro.  Stone. 


158  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

The  lower  Valley  of  ^^irginia  was  a  good  field,  con- 
siderably occupied  by  the  Christian  Connection  and 
other  independent  thinkers.  Bro.  Ferguson,  of  the 
Christian  Connection,  a  strong  man  in  his  prime,  was 
as  early  as  1840  preaching  what  we  call  ''The  Ancient 
Gospel.."  His  sons  were  very  clever,  and  if  they  had 
known  the  beauty  of  serving  God  with  the  whole  heart 
we  might  have  had  in  reality  what  we  have  in  story, 
"The  Happy  Valley."  And  if  that  grape-vine  man, 
alias  Doctor,  imported  from  Eastern  Virginia,  had  been 
a  good  hand  with  the  vine  in  God's  husbandry,  and  a 
good  Doctor  of  souls,  how  the  solitary  places  would 
have  rejoiced.  But  our  Valley  brethren  have  had  their 
reverses,  too.  What  nmst  have  been  their  heart- 
wealth  to  present  their  present  spiritual  status?  I 
have  never  lost  sight  of  them  for  more  than  forty 
years,  nor  lost  faith  in  their  sturdy  race. 

And  now  we  go  up — ascending — whether  morally 
or  not,  to  Southwest  Virginia,  the  field  of  most  meagre 
promise  and  agency.  The  people  are  Scotch-Irish. 
Presbyterian,  Lutheran  and  Methodist — Pedo-Baptist; 
a  good  people,  Init  given  to  have  both  ears  on  one  side 
of  the  head;  having  always  been  proof  against  Baptist 
aggression.  The  agent  essaying  our  interest,  a  poor, 
ignorant  boy,  deprived  by  his  father's  fallen  fortunes 
of  a  proper  education,  knowing  nothing  of  the  Church 
established  in  the  West,  and  then  struggling  into 
being  in  Tidewater  Virginia.  He  was,  therefore,  without 
the  help  of  precedent  or  sympathy.  The  Baptists 
would  not  baptize  him  unless  he  would  unite  with 
them.  He  was  finally  baptized  by  Landon  Duncan, 
of  the  Christian  Connection,  under  special  stipulations. 
This  was  the  faint  rushlight  attempting  the  narrow 
path  in  the  surrounding  gloom.  For  a  long  w^hile 
there  w^as  no  foreign  help,  and  it  was  not  until  many 
churches  were  established  that  Bro.  Duncan  gave  in  his 
adhesion.     So  there  was  no  Achan  in  the  camp.     If 


Our  Status  in  This  State  159 

none  to  aid,  then  none  to  help  us  to  ruin.  The  Apos- 
tolic Advocate  was  indeed  subscribed  for,  but  some 
officious  person,  when  its  drift  was  seen,  had  it  stopped, 
and  the  subscribers  went  to  the  postoffice  for  naught. 
A  truer  set  of  men  than  our  preachers,  taking  them  in 
the  aggregate,  could  nowhere  have  been  found,  while 
those  not  so  true  were  not  very  strong,  and  those  who 
came  for  mischief  made  short  A^sits.  I  cannot  say  we 
have  not  had  some  false  doctrine,  for  the  youth  who 
first  opened  his  mouth  to  plead  for  the  ''Ancient  Order 
of  Things"  did  all  a  man  could  do  to  make  his  brethren 
sting}^;  so  that  even  to  this  day  some  of  them  can  sit 
in  tolerable  comfort  under  a  Gospel  that  costs  them 
not  a  cent.  I  do  not  think  they  would  let  their  preach- 
ers maul  their  rails  and  plow  their  fields  for  nothing; 
this  is  looked  upon  as  harder  work  than  preaching; 
but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  from  the  Blue  Ridge 
and  the  Alleghanies  to  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  not 
one-twentieth  of  the  Master's  checks  have  been  hon- 
ored. I  am  happy  to  say  that  the  father  of  this  mis- 
chief, as  I  have  heard  him  say,  is  heartily  penitent  for 
having  shorn  his  brethren  of  half  their  triumphs  and 
of  half  the  blessedness  of  being  Christians;  and  that  he 
realizes  a  considerable  alleviation  of  pain  in  seeing 
an  effort  to  educate  a  young  brother,  as  also  in  a  little 
branch  of  "The  Christian  Woman's  Board  of  ^lissions," 
with  an  animus  Avhich,  could  it  pervade  the  Church, 
would  justify  its  being  called  Christian.  Evangelizing 
efforts,  still  feeble,  are  on  the  rise.  Any  Eastern  brother 
disposed  to  look  askance  upon  us  should  know  that  we 
are  doing  fifty  times  as  much  as  in  our  first  years. 
What  then  may  be  expected  of  us  in  our  next  fifty 
years?  The  same  man  who  made  the  stingy  Christians 
set  the  example,  which  he  had  inherited,  of  family 
prayers  once  a  day,  and  had  his  own  trouble  to  reform 


160  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

his  brethren  to  prayers  nio;ht  and  morning.  I  will 
say  nothing  of  the  capabilities  of  the  men  he  set  to 
feed  the  flock  of  God.  But  I  can  say  with  heartfelt 
emotion,  he  is  conscious  of  his  shortcomings,  and 
earnestly  desirous  to  see  himself  and  brethren  set  right 
before  the  world,  the  whole  Church  of  God  and  its 
glorious  Head,  well  knowing  that  the  crucial  test  as  to 
whether  the  Christian  Church  in  Virginia  is  of  divine 
parentage  is  holiness  of  heart,  the  fruits  of  the  spirit, 
and,  with  all  the  might,  working  for  God  and  not  for 
party. 


THE  PLEA   AND   THE   PIONEERS 
IN  VIRGINIA 

PART  II. 


LIVES  OF  THE  PIONEERS 

Containing-  Brief  Biographical  Sketches  of 
the  following  Preachers: 


George  W.  Abell, 
Elder  Peter  Ainslie, 
Elder  Dudley  Atkinson,  • 
Elder  James  M.  Bagby, 
Dr.  Chester  Bullard, 
Reuben  Lindsay  Coleman, 
Benjamin  Creel, 
Elder  John  Curtis, 
Elder  John  Dangerfield, 


Dr.  John  Du  Val, 
James  W.  Goss, 
Thomas  M.  Henley, 
John  G.  Parrish, 
Silas  Shelburne, 
Charles  Talley, 
A.  B.  Walthall, 
Matthew  Webber, 
Unbiographed. 


11 


LIVES  OF  THE  PIONEERS 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON  ABELL. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  not  one  of  the  early 
pioneers,  but  it  was  his  lot  to  ably  second  the  work 
they  had  begun.  He  was  born  on  the  11th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1818,  in  Albemarle  county,  two  miles  west  of  the 
University  of  Virginia,  where  his  father  and  mother 
resided  for  fifty  years.  His  father,  John  S.  Abell, 
was  a  Baptist  minister,  and  his  mother  a  member  of 
that  denomination,  and  both,  by  precept  and  example, 
early  impressed  him  with  religious  reverence.  He 
was  taught  to  read  and  reverence  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, and  to  offer  up  regularly  his  evening  prayer. 
It  was  not  then  the  custom,  as  now,  to  advance  chil- 
dren in  the  knowledge  of  the  Word,  the  plan  of  Salva- 
tion, or  the  obedience  of  Faith;  consequently,  very 
little,  if  anything,  in  that  direction  was  taught  him. 
This  arose,  not  from  any  lack  of  interest  in  his  relig- 
ious welfare,  but  from  their  lack  of  knowledge  in 
the  plan  of  Salvation,  and  the  false  ideas  then  preva- 
lent concerning  election,  irresistible  grace,  and  a 
divine  influence  in  conversion. 

George  began  to  attend  school  when  about  seven 
years  old,  and  had  to  walk  two  miles,  both  morning 
and  evening.  He  attended  country  schools  only 
five  or  six  years,  Avhen  he  left  school  to  become  clerk  in 
a  store  at  Charlottesville;    a  position   which  was  soon 


164  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

exchanged  for  that  of  an  assistant  in  the  post-office 
of  that  town.  But  he  soon  left  this  and  entered  a 
classical  school,  taught  by  a  Mr.  Powers.  Here  he 
advanced  rapidly  in  his  studies,  and  soon  his  whole 
character  underwent  a  change.  He  was  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him  for  his  high  moral  character, 
and  also  for  his  veneration  for  his  pious  father  and 
his  love  for  his  Christlike  mother.  When  about 
sixteen  years  of  age  he  became  deeply  concerned  about 
his  salvation,  and  was  not  long  in  reaching  a  determina- 
tion in  the  matter.  He  approached  his  elder  brother 
on  the  subject,  informing  him  of  his  faith  in  Christ 
and  his  determination  to  be  baptized.  This  gave 
much  joy  to  his  parents  and  brother.  He  was  bap- 
tized forthwith  by  his  father,  near  Charlottesville, 
and  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  of  that  town. 
He  resolved  to  sacrifice  all  for  Christ  by  preparing 
himself  for  the  Christian  ministry.  He  commenced 
at  once  to  exhort  and  pray  in  prayer-meetings.  He 
was  regarded  as  a  prodigy  of  learning,  and  was  en- 
couraged by  every  laudable  means  to  carry  out  his 
determination  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

His  progress  in  the  classical  school  of  Mr.  Powers 
made  him  well  prepared  to  enter  the  University  of 
Virginia,  which  he  did  when  he  was  about  twenty 
years  old.  Here  he  showed  the  same  marked  deter- 
mination that  had  characterized  his  previous  course. 
He  was  a  hard  student,  and  carried  it  to  such  an 
extent  that  his  health  became  impaired.  He  seemed 
for  a  time  to  sacrifice  everything  for  his  studies; 
even    his    religious    duties    were    neglected,    and    he 


George  Washington  Ahell  165 

partly,  if  not  entirely,  abandoned  his  high  purpose 
of  consecrating  himself  to  the  Gospel  ministry.  For 
a  time  he  thought  of  entering  the  political  arena, 
and  after  gaining  a  position  of  influence  he  would  turn 
all  to  the  advancement  of  the  cause  of  Christ.  For 
this  end  he  studied  day  and  night,  even  trespassing 
upon  the  Lord's  Day,  denying  himself  relief  or  rest 
until  his  health  was  crushed  and  his  mind  trembled 
beneath  the  pressure.  But  there  is  a  superior  and 
superintending  Power,  with  sleepless  eyes,  ever  watch- 
ing the  affairs  of  his  children.  They  may  propose, 
but  he  disposes, 

"And  works  his  gracious  will." 

He  mercifully  laid  the  hand  of  affliction  upon  this 
young  man,  and  for  many  long  months  his  friends 
despaired  of  his  life.  But  the  same  Power  that  had 
brought  him  so  low  raised  him  up,  chastened,  reflned, 
purified,  and  with  all  the  devotion  and  zeal  of  his 
conversion  to  God. 

After  his  recovery  Bro.  Abell  began  to  study  the 
Scriptures  with  renewed  earnestness,  and  on  one 
occasion,  in  conversation  with  Bro.  Samuel  Teel, 
an  old  schoolmate  and  a  disciple  of  Christ,  their  talk 
turned  upon  the  remission  of  sins  and  its  kindred 
subjects.  They  then  and  there  entered  into  an  agree- 
ment that  they  both  should  study  these  subjects 
as  if  they  had  never  studied  them  before,  and  the  one 
who  was  convinced  he  was  wrong  should  own  it  and 
act  accordingly.  They  had  frequent  interviews  after 
this   compact,   and   talked   freely   together   upon   the 


166  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

differences  between  them,  and  in  course  of  time 
Bro.  Abell  began  to  feel  that  he  was  standing  upon 
rather  a  shaky  foundation. 

Brother  Abell  was  regarded  at  this  time  as  rather 
a  bright  star  in  the  Baptist  ecclesiastical  heavens. 
He  was  learned  above  most  young  men,  zealous  and 
devoted,  had  a  strong  will,  bent  upon  success,  and  of 
such  independence  of  spirit  that  he  read  every  book 
worthy  of  being  read;  and  would  go  and  hear  any 
one  preach  who  could  impart  to  him  any  information. 

One  Lord's  Day  evening,  in  1840  or  '41,  he  was  in 
Charlottesville,  and  desired  to  hear  a  discourse  before 
returning  home.  It  being  inclement  weather,  no 
other  church  w^as  open  but  the  disciples',  and  he  con- 
cluded to  go  and  hear  Bro.  R.  L.  Coleman.  There 
was  nothing  in  the  congregation  to  inspire  the  preacher 
to  an  extra  effort  until  this  young  man  entered  and 
took  a  seat  in  the  rear.  Immediately  Brother  Cole- 
man was  inspired  with  the  hope  of  doing  this  young 
Baptist  preacher  some  good.  As  soon  as  he  arose  to 
speak  all  saw  that  he  Avas  about  to  give  them  some- 
thing rich  in  thought  and  comforting  to  the  heart. 
It  has  been  said  that  he  delivered  one  of  the  finest 
sermons  of  his  life  upon  that  occasion.  His  sermon 
was  based  on  Rom.  10:  6-11,  the  arrangement  was 
well  made,  and  the  arguments  powerful  and  unan- 
swerable. He  closed  with  a  very  instructive  appeal 
in  favor  of  the  old  Gospel.  Bro.  Abell  went  there  to 
hear  with  candor,  and  his  attention  was  secured  from 
the  first  to  the  last;  and  so  absorbed  was  his  mind 
with  what  he  had  heard,  that  in  walking  home  he 
took  no  notice  of  the  path  he  trod. 


George  Washington  Abell  167 

The  next  day  he  sought  an  interview  with  Bro. 
Coleman,  in  which  he  informed  him  of  the  effect  of 
his  discourse;  how  it  absorbed  his  thoughts  and  en- 
hghtened  his  mind,  especially  upon  that  part  of  the 
Christian  system  concerning  the  plan  of  salvation,  and 
closed  the  interview  by  saying,  ''I  cannot  remain 
with  the  Baptists,. with  my  present  views,  and  shall, 
with  the  help  of  the  Lord,  be  at  the  Christian  Church 
next  Lord's  Day  and  unite  with  j^ou  on  the  Bible 
alone." 

His  determination  was  carried  out  on  the  following 
Lord's  Day,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  his  parents 
and  his  Baptist  brethren.  This  strange  act  on  the 
part  of  George  W.  Abell  must  be  explained,  so  as  not 
be  creditable  to  the  disciples.  So  it  was  soon  cir- 
culated far  and  near  that  George  W.  Abell  was  de- 
ranged. And  to  such  votaries  of  sectarianism  there 
could  be  no  other  explanation.  Former  bosom 
companions  treated  him  with  coldness,  but  he  was  at 
all  times  the  same  sweet-tempered  and  quiet-minded 
Christian  young  man,  and  bore  meekly  their  taunts 
and  ridicule.  To  cap  the  climax  of  religious  pre- 
judice and  bigotry,  the  Baptist  Church  of  Charlottes- 
ville acted  against  him  as  they  would  have  acted 
against  a  drunkard  or  a  debauchee,  and  upon  their 
Church  record  is  found  these  words:  ^'George  W. 
Abell;  excluded  February  26,  1842."  And  for  what 
was  he  excluded?  There  it  stands  recorded, — a  pure, 
holy,  and  godly  man! — one  that  believed  in  Christ 
with  all  his  heart,  had  repented  of  his  sins  and  been 
baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus  by  his  father,  John  S. 


168  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Abell,  and  from  the  day  of  his  baptism  to  the  day  of 
his  death  was  an  ornament  to  the  rehgion  of  the  Lord, 
Jesus  Christ. 

Brother  Abell  now  continued  his  studies  at  the 
University,  taking  a  very  extensive  course  of  study, 
and  finally  graduating  in  every  school  except  in 
the  school  of  Chemistry.  Brother  Abell  was  now 
free  from  the  University;  but  he  was  in  appear- 
ance nearly  a  physical  wreck.  He  desired  to  preach, 
but  he  had  doubts  as  to  whether  he  could  become 
a  preacher  or  not.  On  this  point  he  consulted  his 
friend  James  W.  Goss,  who  in  turn  told  Kro.  Abell 
some  of  his  own  early  difficulties  in  that  line;  and 
seeing  that  their  experiences  were  similar,  he  gathered 
courage  and  determined  to  die  in  the  harness. 

He  began  preaching  around  Charlottesville,  and 
soon  took  a  trip  through  Tidewater  district  in  com- 
pany with  Bro.  Goss.  From  this  time  his  former 
Baptist  brethren  ceased  in  a  large  measure  their  per- 
secution. They  were  now  satisfied  that  his  convictions 
were  deeply  founded,  and  that  they  could  not  move 
him  by  their  sarcasm,  ridicule,  or  pseudo-arguments. 
He  became  more  cheerful  at  this  relief  and  began  to 
use  to  the  best  effect  his  superior  educational  advan- 
tages. 

In  1845  Bro.  Abell  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Nalley,  of  Nelson  county.  He  had  baptized  her  the 
previous  year,  and  at  the  time  of  their  marriage  he 
was  twenty-seven  and  she  nineteen  years  old.  During 
the  next  five  years  he  taught  school  and  preached  as 
he   had   opportunity;     but   other   duties   hung  heavy 


George  Washington  Ahell  169 

on  his  hands,  for  he  desired  to  give  his  whole  time 
to  the  proclamation  of  God's  Word.  Through  the 
influence  of  Brethren  Coleman  and  Goss,  at  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Disciples,  held  in  Richmond  in  the 
fall  of  1849,  Bro.  Abell  was  appointed  State  Evan- 
gelist, and  entered  upon  his  duties  in  February,  1850. 

He  now  commenced  the  labor  that  gave  him  a  name 
long  to  be  remembered  among  Virginia  disciples,  and 
from  that  day  to  the  day  of  his  death  he  was  wholly 
devoted  to  his  high  and  holy  calling.  In  the  small 
space  at  our  disposal  it  would  be  impossible  to  give 
anything  like  a  connected  account  of  his  labors.  This 
has  already  been  done  in  a  separate  volume  by  Bro. 
Peter  Ainslie,  to  whom  we  are  much  indebted  for  the 
material  found  in  this  sketch. 

On  the  11th  of  November,  1867,  Bro.  Abell  was  riding 
horseback  before  daybreak  to  join  his  family,  with  whom 
he  was  to  move  to  Tazewell  county,  when  his  horse  fell 
with  him.  Bro.  Abell's  right  leg  was  broken  between 
the  knee  and  the  ankle.  As  the  horse  rose,  he  rose  on 
him,  and  rode  five  miles  to  Dr.  Anderson's,  who  set  it, 
and  putting  him  in  his  own  carriage,  sent  him  home. 
He  got  home  about  dark,  and  rested  tolerably  well  that 
night.  The  next  day  he  insisted  on  starting,  as  they 
had  their  goods  already  packed.  His  wife  and  family 
tried  to  dissuade  him  from  going,  but  he  thought  he 
could  undergo  the  trip.  They  were  on  the  road  in  all 
about  three  weeks.  They  rested  at  Snowville,  Pulaski 
county.  On  Lord's  Day  after  their  arrival  Bro.  Abell 
had  himself  propped  up  between  a  table  and  a  chair, 
and  in  that  situation  he  preached  to  the  people.      He 


170  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

alwa^^s  looked  upon  the  body  as  onh^  the  house — 
the  tent — in  which  the  "I" — the  real  self — was  to 
sojourn,  and  he  could  endure  heat,  cold,  pain,  labor, 
all  things,  so  that  it  but  helped  him  in  his  chosen  work. 
An  acquaintance  of  his  once  charged  him  rather 
warmly  with  spending  too  much  time  away  from  his 
family;  to  which  he  promptly  gave  the  characteristic 
reply:  ''The  Devil  told  me  so  before,  but  I  did  not 
believe  him." 

In  1869  Bro.  Abell  held  a  debate  with  Mr.  Gilbert, 
of  the  M.  E.  Church,  South,  at  Newport,  Giles  county, 
Virginia.  Three  days  were  spent  on  the  Action  of 
Baptism,  and  then  they  adjourned  to  meet  a  week  or 
two  later  and  discuss  Infant  Baptism.  In  the  inter- 
mission between  the  debates  Bro.  Abell  preached  at 
Pembroke,  only  a  few  miles  distant,  and  baptized 
one  hundred  persons;  a  goodly  number  of  whom  were 
Methodists.  Major  Samuel  Lybrook,  the  president 
moderator  of  the  debate,  was  among  the  number  who 
obeyed  the  Lord,  and  tliis  brother  is  still  an  active 
elder  of  the  Pembroke  congregation.  No  further 
comment  upon  the  result  of  the  debate  is  needed  than 
the  above  stated  results.  Mr.  Gilbert,  who  was  a 
shrewd  debater  of  twenty-five  years'  experience, 
became  irritable  the  last  day  of  the  debate,  perhaps 
owing  to  the  fact  that  on  that  morning  Bro.  Abell 
had  baptized  three  more  of  his  ]\Iethodist  brethren. 

The  last  year  of  his  life  Bro.  Abell  moved  to  Tennes- 
see. In  his  farewell  address  to  the  Virginia  disciples 
he  wrote: 


George  Washington  Ahell  171 

''The  prime  of  my  life  has  been  spent  among  you; 
for  nearly  one  quarter  of  a  century  I  have  been  your 
servant.  I  have  grown  gray  in  that  service:  the 
manner  in  which  I  performed  it,  God,  men,  and  angels 
are  witnesses  of.  I  need  not  appeal  to  you  in  regard 
to  it.  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  to  you  the 
whole  counsel  of  God;  I  have  kept  back  nothing 
that  was  profitable  to  you;  I  have  coveted  no  man's 
gold,  no  man's  silver,  no  man's  apparel,  no  man's 
wisdom,  might,  elociuence,  influence,  power,  honor. 
I  have  sought  ,  humbly,  unpretendingly,  zealously, 
to  do  the  will  of  God,  to  glorify  His  name  in  the  con- 
version of  sinners  and  the  edification  of  saints.  To 
accomplish  this,  I  have  exposed  myself  to  winter's 
storm  and  summer's  heat;  traveled  through  rain, 
hail,  and  snow,  by  day  and  by  night.  I  have  been  a 
stranger  at  home;  so  much  so,  that  for  a  season  it 
will  seem  strange  to  my  wife  and  children  for  me  to 
remain  with  them.  But — and  it  makes  my  heart 
sad  when  I  pen  it,  and  the  tears  in  my  eyes  obscure 
my  writing — I  know,  in  regard  to  many  of  you  among 
whom  I  have  gone  preaching  the  Kingdom  of  God, 
/  shall  see  your  faces  no  more. 

"Farewell!  my  dear  brethren  and  sisters,  farewell. 
Farewell!  to  the  rich;  farewell!  to  the  poor;  farewell! 
to  the  learned;  farewell!  to  the  ignorant;  farewell! 
to  the  white;  farewell!  to  the  colored;  farewell! 
Christians;  farewell!  sinners;  to  one  and  all,  a  long, 
a  last.  Farewell! !  !  God  bless  you  all  for  time  and 
eternity.  In  the  morning  of  the  first  resurrection, 
may  we  all  arise  in  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the 
air,  and  thus  be  'forever  with  the  Lord. ' 

"G.  W.  Abell." 


172  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

It  was  indeed  a  last  farewell.  This  godly  man  con- 
tracted pneumonia,  and  passed  away  on  the  last  day  of 
the  year  1874,  in  Murfreesboro,  Tenn.  His  latest 
breath  was  a  prayer  and  benediction.  The  eighth 
article  of  his  will  reads  as  follows : 

''As  I  have  spent  the  prime  of  my  hfe  in  laboring 
in  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  thereby  neglected  the 
worldly  interest  of  my  family,  I  commit  and  commend 
them  to  the  protection  and  guardianship  of  the  brother- 
hood of  Virginia,  for  whom  I  have  so  long  and,  as  they 
know,  so  faithfully  labored,  hoping  and  praying  that, 
under  the  blessing  and  providence  of  God,  they  may 
assist  them  in  what  they  may  need.  And  to  secure 
this,  that  a  copy  of  this  Eighth  Article  of  my  will  be 
sent  to  the  Chairman  of  the  first  State  Convention, 
after  my  death,  to  be  read  before  that  body." 


ELDER  PETER  AINSLIE. 

Virginia  has  been  honored  with  three  preachers  of 
the  Gospel,  all  of  whom  have  borne  the  same  name. 
The  Peter  Ainslie  of  to-day,  who  preaches  in  Baltimore, 
being  a  worthy  son  and  grandson  of  the  other  two.  It 
is  of  the  grandfather,  Peter  Ainslie,  that  we  write  this 
sketch.  He  was  born  at  a  small  village,  seven  miles 
west  of  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  November  27,  1788.  Six 
months  after  his  birth  his  father  died,  and  soon  after 
his  brother,  thus  leaving  his  mother,  sister  and  himself 
to  battle  with  the  world.  He  was  forced  to  stay  at 
home  much  with  his  mother,  who  was  not  strong,  and 
this  gave  him  but  little  time  for  school.  He  could  read 
well  at  seven,  and  used  to  rea  d  much  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment at  home.  He  was  soon  obliged  to  rehnquish 
school  altogether,  but  after  a  lapse  of  eight  years  a  Sun- 
day school  was  established  in  the  village,  which  enabled 
him  to  pick  up  many  things  that  had  hitherto  been  be- 
yond his  reach,  owing  to  his  lack  of  schooling.  The 
superintendent,  who  was  a  near  relative  of  his  mother's, 
took  a  deep  interest  in  him  and  enabled  him  to  advance 
rapidly  in  his  studies,  especially  in  the  Word  of  God. 
We  shall  now  quote  from  a  manuscript  written  by 
Grandfather  Ainslie  himself,  concerning  his  life. 

''In  my  fourteenth  year,  though  not  a  member 
of  the  Church,  I  had  a  great  desire  to  go  as  a  missionary 
to  the  heathen,  and,  stranger  still,  my  superintendent 
was  in  favor  of  such  a  move,  but  my  mother,  with 
better  judgment,  would  not  consent.     In  my  fifteenth 


174  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

year  I  united  with  the  Church  of  Scotland.  I  now 
appUed  myself  to  the  close  study  of  the  Word  of  God. 
I  soon  saw  that  the  church  I  had  joined  and  the  Word 
of  God  were  not  in  harmony.  But  it  was  the  church 
of  my  clear  mother — what  I  was  to  do  I  could  not 
determine.  I  was  satisfied  that  the  church  was 
wrong,  but  what  church  was  right  I  could  not  decide. 
For  some  time  I  remained  in  this  uncertain  state  of 
mind,  though  I  had  determined  to  break  my  connec- 
tion with  the  church  as  soon  as  I  could  find  a  church 
acting  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptures. 

''I  felt  the  consequences  of  such  a  move,  and  nothing 
affected  me  more  than  to  sever  church  membership 
with  my  dear  and  beloved  mother;  and  while  I  write 
these  words,  memory  carries  me  back  to  those  days  of 
mental  solicitude.  During  my  religious  struggles  and 
in  the  midst  of  my  unhappiness,  an  additional  weight 
fell  upon  me  in  the  death  of  my  pious  and  God-loving 
mother."     *     *     * 

''My  sister  married  soon  after  this,  and  moved 
away."^  I  was  now  alone,  yet  not  alone,  for  I  doubled 
my  diUgence  in  committing  the  Scriptures  to  memory 
and  reading  every  religious  book  I  could,  until  my 
twentieth  year,  when  my  attention  was  called  to  the 
subjects,  mode  and  design  of  baptism,  and  after  read- 
ing, thinking  and  pra3dng  about  the  matter  for  six 
months,  my  mind  was  made  up;  but  again,  in  one 
sense,  I  was  alone.  What  to  do  I  knew  not.  I  knew 
no  one  who  believed  in  immersion  or  any  church  that 
practiced  it.  I  commenced  to  talk  to  the  members 
of  my  church  upon  the  subject,  but  I  met  little  favor 
from  them,  though  there  were  two  who  were  ready  to 
look  prayerfully  into  the  matter,  and  as  soon  as  they 
were  convinced  of  the  importance  of  being  immersed 
we  looked  about  to  find  a  Baptist  minister,  and  on  the 
19th  of  March,  1809,  we  three  were  immersed  by 
James  Haldane.     We  asked  to  remain  in  the   church 


Elder  Peter  Ainslie  175 

of   our   parents,   but   were   refused;   consequently   we 
united  with  the  church  of  Mr.  Haldane."     *     * 

''I  was  now  twenty-one  years  old,  and  I  had  a  great 
desire  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  I  had  been  for 
some  time  taking  a  part  in  our  prayer-meetings  by 
reading,  prayer  and  exhortation.  Occasionally  our 
pastor  would  call  upon  me  to  take  a  more  public  part, 
but  I  or  the  church  never  regarded  it  as  preaching. 
Soon,  however,  I  was  ordained  to  the  ministry,  and 
on  the  4th  day  of  July,  in  the  evening,  1809,  I  pre- 
sented myself  for  the  first  time  before  the  people  as  a 
preacher  of  the  Gospel.  I  need  not  say  anything 
about  my  feelings  upon  this  occasion;  I  was  in  earnest, 
and  felt  the  responsibility  of  the  step;  and  if  I  ever 
felt  my  dependence  upon  the  sustaining  hand  of  God, 
I  did  that  evening.  Being  now  more  determined  than 
ever  to  devote  my  life  to  the  ministry  of  the  Word,  and 
having  the  unanimous  approbation  of  the  church,  and 
a  favorable  Providence  to  indicate  the  way,  I  moved 
to  Edinburgh,  where  my  church  and  educational  ad- 
vantages would  be  increased.  My  move  was  easily 
accomplished.  In  Edinburgh  my  most  sanguine  desires 
were  fully  realized.  I  remained  there  the  whole  of 
1810.  I  had  a  desire  to  visit  the  United  States  of 
America,  and  after  talking  much  with  the  brethren, 
especially  with  Mr.  Haldane,  about  such  a  move,  it 
was  agreed  that  I  should  go  under  the  auspices  of  the 
church,  and  that  Mr.  Haldane  should  give  me  such 
books  as  I  needed.  One  day,  while  walking  on  the 
wharf,  I  saw  a  ship  from  Philadelphia  about  to  sail 
on  her  return  voyage,  and  I  determined  to  go  on  her 
if  the  Lord  would  permit.  I  soon  made  ever37-  necessary 
arrangement — the  church  was  called  together,  fasting, 
and  by  prayer  and  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  presby- 
tery, I  was  sent  away.  On  the  first  of  April,  1811, 
I  went  aboard  the  ship  Union,  bound  for  Philadelphia. 
Manv  brethren  came  down  to  the  wharf  to  see  me 


176  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

off,  and  pronounced  the  blessing  of  God  on  my  head. 
It  was  certainly  to  me  an  affecting  separation.  To 
go  forever  from  the  home  of  my  birth — the  resting- 
place  of  my  fathers  and  mothers — from  friends  and 
brethren  in  Christ,  whom  I  should  never  see  in  the 
flesh  again,  is  an  event  in  life  never  forgotten." 

Passing  over  his  account  of  the  voyage,  we  again 
quote  from  Mr.  Ainslie's  manuscript: 

''On  the  18th  of  May  we  were  fastened  to  the  wharf 
in  Philadelphia.  Here,  again,  I  was  a  stranger  in  a 
strange  land,  and  among  a  strange  people.  No  one 
can  enter  into  the  feelings  of  one  in  a  strange  land  far 
distant  from  his  own  happy  home  but  one  who  has 
experienced  the  transition.  But  the  Christian,  even 
in  such  a  situation,  can  gather  consolation  from  the 
fact  that  the  same  God  who  watched  over  him  in  by- 
gone days  in  his  far  distant  earthly  home  is  the  same 
who  will  guard  him  in  a  strange  land.  The  Lord  has 
never  forsaken  me.  I  reported  myself  to  the  pastor  of 
a  Baptist  Church,  who  kindly  cared  for  me  as  far  as  I 
wished.  I  remained  in  the  city  three  weeks,  and  as 
soon  as  I  had  recovered  from  the  peculiar  fatigue  of 
the  voyage,  and  the  church  was  satisfied  that  I  was 
a  brother  in  Christ,  I  was  invited  to  preach,  which  I 
did  on  several  occasions.  I  then  went  to  Baltimore, 
where  I  found  brethren  more  of  my  way  of  thinking. 
I  therefore  concluded  to  make  that  my  home.  Here  I 
met  with  many  warm  friends  and  brethren  in  the 
Lord,  among  them  my  dear  brother  Wm.  Carman, 
a  man  of  God  and  a  friend  to  humanity.  He  mightily 
helped  me  by  securing  employment  for  me,  by  which 
I  was  able  to  replenish  my  almost  exhausted  funds. 
He  sent  me  to  Richmond,  Virginia,  to  attend  to  some 
business  for  him,  and  as  soon  as  I  got  through  I  re- 
turned to  Baltimore  and  remained  there  all  the  winter. 
In  the  spring  I  went  to  Richmond  again.  I  spent 
the  whole  of  1812  in  the  latter  city  and  Baltimore. 


Elder  Peter  Ainslie  177 

''On  the  5th  of  October,  1812,  I  was  married  to  Miss 
Deborah  McDonald,  in  Baltimore,  Md.  Her  parents 
were  from  Scotland,  though  she  was  born  in  Maryland. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  church  in  Baltimore  to 
which  I  had  attached  myself.  This  church  numbered 
about  twenty  members.  The  church  was  not  in  full 
fellowship  with  the  Baptist  churches  of  the  city, 
though  she  was  regarded  with  some  favor  by  them. 
The  members  were  spoken  of  by  our  Baptist  brethren 
as  Scotch  Baptists,  Glassites,  or  Sandemanians. 

''What  distinguished  this  little  band  of  Christians 
from  our  regular  Baptist  brethren  consisted  in  this: 

"1st.  They  believed  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  were 
an  all-sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  without  such 
helps  as  creeds  and  confessions  of  faith  drawn  up  by 
men. 

"2nd.  They  believed  that  faith  was  the  belief  of  the 
divine  record  or  testimony,  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
convinced  the  world  of  sin  through  that  record  or 
testimony. 

"3rd.  They  attended  to  the  weekly  administration 
of  the  Lord's  Supper  and  the  weekly  collection  for  the 
poor  saints. 

"4th.  They  had  a  plurality  of  elders,  and  they  be- 
lieved in  the  necessity  of  the  presence  of  at  least  two 
elders  in  every  case  of  disciphne. 

"I  continued  in  Baltimore,  attending  to  my  secular 
affairs,  and  preaching  on  every  Lord's  Day  whenever 
I  could,  until  January,  1815,  when  I  moved  to  Rich- 
mond, Va.  Here  I  engaged  in  secular  business,  with 
great  success;  but  I  never  forgot  the  great  object  I  had 
in  view  in  leaving  my  native  land.  I  preached  when- 
ever and  wherever  I  could.  But  in  Richmond  I 
labored  under  one  great  difficulty  in  preaching,  viz., 
though  I  essayed  to  unite  with  the  Baptists,  my  views 
met  with  little  or  no  favor  among  them.  However, 
after  a  while  I  was  identified  with  them;  but  I  was 
12 


178  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

never  regarded  as  sound  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  consequently  no  favorable  opportunity  was 
presented  for  me  to  engage  actively  in  the  work  that 
pressed  heavily  upon  my  heart.  I  desired  most  ear- 
nestly to  be  free  from  secular  business,  and  to  be  where 
I  could  preach  the  truth  as  it  is  revealed  in  God's  Word. 
At  last,  as  I  thought,  an  opportunity  presented  itself. 
I  felt  that  the  Lord  had  answered  my  prayer.  Busi- 
ness became  dull  in  the  fall  of  1818,  and  I  had  made 
some  mone}^,  which  I  had  invested  in  property  in 
Richmond,  and  a  farm  containing  300  acres  in  Hanover 
county  was  offered  for  sale,  which  I  bought  for  $2,100. 
This  proved  to  be  a  bad  purchase.  However,  I  re- 
mained upon  it  until  1820,  when  I  disposed  of  it  at  a 
sacrifice. 

''During  my  stay  there  I  devoted  much  of  my  time 
to  the  ministry  of  the  Word.  The  rest  of  my  time  was 
taken  up  in  attending  to  my  property  in  Richmond 
and  farming.  But  I  learned  by  experience  that  I  was 
never  cut  out  for  a  farmer.  I  was  now  more  deter- 
mined than  ever  to  devote  more  of  my  time  to  preach- 
ing. But  I  could  not  do  this  and  live  in  the  city  of 
Richmond,  and  knowing  that  my  fellow-countrj^man, 
James  Fife,  had  a  farm  in  the  county  of  Gloucester, 
containing  about  six  hundred  acres  of  land,  I  effected 
a  trade  of  my  real  estate  in  Richmond  for  this  farm 
and  seven  slaves. 

''So  in  March,  1821,  I  moved  with  my  family  to 
Gloucester  county.  As  soon  as  I  could  do  so,  I  ar- 
ranged my  farming  operations,  and  preaching  became 
my  chief  business.  I  preached  in  the  counties  of 
Gloucester,  Mathews,  Middlesex  and  King  and  Queen. 

"In  Gloucester  and  Mathews  the  Baptists  were  few 
and  weak,  the  Methodists  having  largely  the  ascend- 
ancy. Many  were  the  jeering  remarks  of  our  Metho- 
dist friends  when  I  boldly  presented  in  their  midst 
the  mode  and  importance  of  immersion.     I,  being  a 


Elder  Peter  Ainslie  179 

Scotchman,  they  spoke  of  me  as  the  'Scotch  Dipper.' 
But  none  of  these  things  move  me.  Though  they 
thus  spoke,  they  never  treated  me  with  personal 
indignity  or  discourtesy. ''     *     *     * 

''I  was  caUed  to  the  charge  of  the  Baptist  Church  in 
Mathews,  and  though  I  preached  every  Lord's  Day, 
I  had  no  other  regular  preaching  place  for  some  time. 
For  some  two  or  three  years  my  labors  indicated  no 
immediate  results  in  additions  to  the  churches,  though 
I  was  gratified  in  witnessing  much  improvement  in 
the  religious  zeal  of  the  members  of  the  churches  and 
a  greater  disposition  to  study  the  Scriptures. 

''In  1825  there  w^as  a  great  and  general  revival  of 
religion  in  this  section,  in  which  I  engaged  most  heartily. 
A  Church  was  organized  near  my  residence,  of  materials 
collected  during  this  revival,  called  Ebenezer,  for 
which  I  became  pastor."     *     *     >i^ 

"I  continued  through  1825  and  1826  to  preach  as 
heretofore,  and  in  the  spring  of  1827  I  extended  my 
labors  to  York  county,  and  in  the  summer  of  this  year 
a  great  work  of  grace  commenced  at  Grafton,  in  that 
county,  and  large  numbers  united  with  all  the  Baptist 
churches  of  that  section.  I  was  called  to  take  charge 
of  the  Grafton  Church,  which  I  accepted,  and  in  the 
fall  of  that  year  I  engaged  an  overseer  for  my  farm 
in  Gloucester  and  moved  with  my  wife  and  children 
to  Yorktown,  carrying  with  us  two  servant  women  and 
their  children." 

Here  ends  the  consecutive  sketch  of  Elder  Peter  Ains- 
lie, as  written  by  himself.  This  brings  us  down  to  the 
close  of  the  year  1827.  It  was  about  this  time  that  the 
views  of  Mr.  Campbell  were  first  being  preached  in  East- 
ern Virginia,  and  Bro.  Ainslie,  being  a  pupil  of  James 
Haldane,  of  Scotland,  was  already  well  prepared  to  re- 
ceive the  views  advocated  by  Mr.  Campbell.     At  this 


180  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

period,  however,  Bro.  Ainslie  did  not  fully  agree  with  the 
view  of  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins,  as  advocated 
by  Alexander  Campbell.  Peter  Ainslie  contended  that 
it  was  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience,  by  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ  from  the  dead,  and  he  was  slow  to  accept 
of  and  preach  baptism  in  order  to  remission.  This 
tardiness  on  his  part  caused  those  who  readily  em- 
braced the  cause  of  reformation  to  look  upon  him  as 
doubtful,  while  the  regular  Baptists  gathered  much 
hope  from  the  same  cause.  His  influence  and  power 
among  the  Baptists  of  his  community  and  in  the 
churches  where  he  preached,  caused  the  leaders  of  that 
denomination  to  fear  the  consequences  should  he  de- 
clare himself  fully  in  harmony  with  Mr.  Campbell. 

After  settling  at  Yorktown,  Bro.  Ainslie  became  very 
popular  as  a  preacher  and  was  greeted  with  large  au- 
diences wherever  he  preached.  He  schooled  the 
churches  in  the  Word  of  God,  and  gradually,  as  he 
studied  and  preached  the  Word,  he  led  them  along  with 
him  to  a  safer  mold  of  doctrine  than  that  set  forth  by 
the  regular  Baptists.  He  was  still  a  Baptist  preacher, 
and  had  not  yet  accepted  all  the  views  of  the  reformers. 

While  living  at  this  place,  a  Baptist  minister,  of  the 
prejudiced,  sectarian  type,  by  the  name  of  G.  L.  Corbin, 
wrote  a  pamphlet  entitled  ''The  Cat  Let  Out  of  the 
Bag,  or  Peter  Ainslie  Unmasked. "  If  he  thought  to  gain 
any  glory,  even  in  the  Baptists  ranks,  by  such  proced- 
ure, he  was  mistaken.  The  whole  affair  was  so  weak, 
imbecile  and  suicidal  that  they  were  all  ashamed  of  it, 
and  advised  Elder  Ainslie  not  to  publish  a  reply, 
though  he  had  written  one  with  that  object.    The  reply. 


Elder  Peter  Ainslie  181 

in  order  to  be  effectual,  had  to  make  damaging  develop- 
ments against  Mr.  Corbin,  which  would  have  injured 
the  Baptist  cause.  This  Mr.  Ainslie  had  no  disposi- 
tion to  do,  for  he  loved  the  Baptists  and  had  many 
warm  friends  among  them.  Mr.  Corbin  was  subse- 
quently excluded  from  the  ministry. 

Shortly  after  moving  to  York,  Elder  Ainslie  bought 
a  farm  hard  by  Grafton  Church,  and  moved  upon  it, 
but  soon  afterward  returned  to  his  farm  in  Gloucester. 
Soon  after  his  return  his  self-denying  wife  was  taken 
sick,  and  after  lingering  for  months  on  a  bed  of  pain, 
passed  away.     She  left  seven  children,  two  having  died. 

As  soon  as  arrangements  could  be  made  he  left  home 
for  a  meeting  in  the  upper  part  of  Hanover  county. 
Here  he  met  with  Andrew  Broaddus.  One  night  all 
the  preachers,  with  others,  lodged  with  a  Baptist  broth- 
er named  Norment.  This  was  prearranged  in  order 
to  bring  Elders  Broaddus  and  Ainslie  together  in 
lengthy  conversation  on  the  questions  that  were  then 
agitating  all  the  Baptist  churches  in  Virginia.  The 
Baptists  hoped  for  great  results  from  this  conversa- 
tion, as  Mr.  Broaddus  was  a  gifted  conversationalist 
and  a  close  reasoner.  As  soon  as  the  conventionalities 
of  society  would  permit,  the  conversation  commenced, 
and  continued  until  the  short  hours  of  the  coming  day. 
It  was  Ustened  to  with  profound  attention  throughout 
by  all  except  a  self-conceited  and  excitable  Baptist 
preacher,  who  would  throw  out  his  imbecile  ejacula- 
tions, much  to  the  annoyance  of  the  gentlemanly  Broad- 
dus. As  a  result  of  the  conversation  neither  party 
was  convinced,  but  many  present  were  induced  to  make 


182  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

a  more  thorough  examination  of  the  groimds  of  their 
faith. 

At  the  Dover  Association  of  1832,  Bro.  AinsHe  was 
one  of  the  six  ministers  ecclesiastically  beheaded.  The 
conversation  with  Andrew  Broaddus,  related  above, 
was  to  sound  him,  and  if  possible  save  him  to  the  ranks 
of  the  regulars.  When  the  Dover  Association  was  con- 
vened Mr.  Ainslie  was  named  on  the  committee  to  re- 
port upon  the  course  the  Baptists  were  to  adopt  in  re- 
gard to  ''Campbellism. "  This  was  another  effort  to 
win  him  at  the  last  moment  over  to  their  side,  and  at 
the  same  time  give  an  appearance  of  representing  the 
reformers  on  the  committee.  Bro.  Ainslie  did  not  at- 
tend any  of  their  meetings,  and  they  showed  the  real 
spirit  which  led  them  to  name  him  as  a  committee- 
man when  they  placed  his  name  on  the  decree  as  one 
of  those  withdrawn  from. 

In  1834  he  married  Miss  Matilda  Gregory,  of  King 
William  county,  and  soon  after  settled  in  that  county. 
He  was  at  that  time  acting  in  the  capacity  of  the  first 
general  evangelist  of  Tidewater  district,  having  a  field 
extending  from  the  Blue  Ridge  to  the  blue  sea.  His 
eldest  daughter  had  married  Bro.  Jos.  Bohannon,  and  he 
had  placed  the  rest  of  his  children  in  a  good  boarding- 
school,  intending  to  give  them  a  good  education.  Di- 
rectly after  his  second  marriage,  however,  he  again 
gathered  his  children  around  him  in  his  new  home. 
The  joys  of  this  reunited  family  were  short-lived.  Bro. 
Ainslie  owned  a  negro  man  whose  wife  was  owned  in 
King  and  Queen  and  was  about  to  be  sold.  The  slave 
appealed  to  Bro.  Ainslie  to  go  over  and  buy  her.     Ac- 


Elder  Peter  Ainslie  183 

cordingly  they  got  into  a  boat  to  cross  the  Mattaponi 
river.  It  was  in  February,  and  the  river  was  just  break- 
ing up  after  a  heavy  freeze.  The  boat  was  caught  be- 
tween two  large  cakes  of  ice  and  crushed,  and  they  were 
precipitated  into  the  river.  Persons  on  the  shore  saw 
them,  but  were  powerless  to  save  them.  Again  and 
again  they  tried  to  climb  up  on  the  sheets  of  ice,  but 
in  the  struggle  the  rotten  ice  would  break  beneath  their 
weight.  At  last  they  sank  beneath  the  icy  waters. 
The  body  of  Bro.  Ainslie  was  not  found  until  six  weeks 
later. 


ELDER  DUDLEY  ATKINSON. 

Bro.  Atkinson  was  born  in  Essex  county,  Virginia, 
February  26,  1784.  As  a  child  he  was  regarded  as  an 
excellent  boy  and  was  very  devoted  to  his  parents. 
He  ever  preferred  to  w^alk  by  the  admonitions  of  a  lov- 
ing mother  rather  than  to  enter  into  the  wildness 
of  his  schoolmates.  There  was  something  in  his  per- 
sonality, even  as  a  child,  that  made  people  respect  and 
esteem  him.  There  is  an  idea  prevalent  in  the  world 
to-day  that  a  man  to  be  a  successful  preacher  must 
first  sow  his  wild  oats — enter  into  all  kinds  of  evil — 
then  he  will  be  better  enabled  to  reach  sinners.  Such 
was  not  the  case  with  Dudley  Atkinson,  nor  is  it  ever 
true.  A  pure  mind,  untainted  by  sin,  ever  has  more 
power  to  lead  others  to  God  than  one  that  has  tasted 
the  depths  of  sin. 

From  childhood  he  was  religiously  inclined.  He 
loved  good  books,  and  was  particularly  fond  of  listen- 
ing to  the  old  Christians  relate  their  experiences.  They 
had  mixed  up  with  their  piety  much  superstition,  and 
could  tell  of  sights,  sounds,  and  wonderful  experiences. 
He  became  deeply  interested  in  these  matters.  The 
influence  of  such  things  coming  from  good  people  was 
fraught  with  evil.  Their  piety  had  an  influence  that 
could  not  be  gainsaid. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  reluctantly  left  home  to 
teach  a  school  offered  him  in  the  upper  part  of  King 
WilHam  county.  Though  a  full-grown  man  and  sur- 
rounded by  friends,  such  was  his  feeling  for  his  aged 


Elder  Dudley  Atkinson  185 

parents  that  he  had  Uttle  pleasure  in  his  new  surround- 
ings. While  separated  from  them  he  often  visited 
them  and  provided  for  their  wants  in  many  ways.  As 
long  as  they  lived  he  acted  toward  them  the  part  of  a 
dutiful  son,  and  to  his  latest  hour  he  cherished  their 
memory  with  a  son's  warmest  love. 

During  the  summer  of  1808  he  became  acquainted 
with  Miss  Wealthy  Ann  Pollard,  whom  he  married  on 
December  22,  of  that  year.  She  was  given  to  him  of 
the  Lord.  Husband  and  wife  could  not  have  been  bet- 
ter suited  to  each  other. 

His  experience  as  a  teacher  but  better  prepared  him 
for  the  study  of  the  Word  of  God.  In  vain  he  searched 
it  to  find  the  counterpart  of  the  "  Christian  experiences" 
that  he  had  so  often  listened  to,  but  no  such  thing  was 
taught  in  the  Word.  To  be  sure,  there  were  many  pas- 
sages difficult  of  interpretation,  but  as  far  as  the  ques- 
tion ''What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  was  concerned, 
the  teaching  was  clear  and  easily  understood.  He  be- 
lieved with  all  his  heart  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God,  and  able  and  wilHng  to  save  him  both  from 
his  sins  and  from  the  punishment  of  sin.  He  sincerely  re- 
pented, and  decided  to  leave  the  life  and  course  of  sin 
to  walk  in  that  of  righteousness,  and  with  no  other  ex- 
perience than  this  he  approached  the  beloved  Robert 
B.  Semple  and  asked  to  be  baptized.  This  was  done, 
and  he  became  a  member  of  the  Upper  College  Baptist 
Church  (now  called  Cattail)  in  King  William  county. 
He  was  very  retiring  in  his  manners,  and  never  forced 
himself  upon  the  notice  of  anyone,  but  opportunities 
were  not  long  in  developing  to  prove  his  usefulness. 


186  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Baptist  ministers  were  not  very  plentiful  then,  and 
through  the  influence  of  Bishop  Semple  he  was  soon 
made  ''  a  licentiate. " 

There  were  in  the  churches  of  that  day,  as  also  now, 
those  who  considered  their  views  as  a  test  of  member- 
ship and  ministerial  qualifications.  With  this  class 
sights,  sounds  and  dreams  were  regarded  as  tests  of 
conversion,  and  to  oppose  them  as  such  subjected  the 
unfortunate  one  to  the  severest  censure.  Unfortu- 
nately, or  fortunately,  Elder  Atkinson  never  saw  a  sight 
or  heard  a  sound  which  he  could  not  explain  on  natural 
principles.  The  class  before  referred  to  took  this  as 
evidence  that  there  was  something  about  him  not  en- 
tirely Baptistic.  When  the  Christian  Baptist  first  made 
its  appearance  in  the  neighborhood  the  sight-seers 
and  sound-hearers  raised  a  lamentation,  which  spread 
far  and  wide.  Its  writings,  they  said,  were  infidelity  dis- 
guised, diabolical  in  origin  and  purpose,  and  its  editor 
was  a  stranger  to  grace  and  the  regenerating  influence 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  To  some,  however,  this  little 
monthty  brought  clear  rays  of  light  on  many  a  dark- 
ened passage  and  doctrine.  Among  these  was  Dudly 
Atkinson.  He  sought  not  to  offend  the  prejudices  of 
his  hearers,  but  preached  through  Christ  the  remission 
of  sins  and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  through  the 
truth.  More  of  his  brethren  were  offended  at  what 
they  thought  he  believed  and  did  not  preach  than 
anything  he  did  preach.  Very  soon  religious  preju- 
dice reached  its  climax  in  the  publication  of  the  Dover 
Decree,  and  Elder  Atkinson  was  one  of  those  ostracized 
by  good  but  erring  brethren. 


Elder  Dudley  Atkinson  187 

The  year  following  this  he  was  ordained  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry  by  Elders  Thomas  M.  Henley  and  John 
Du  Val.  P>om  that  day  to  the  end  of  his  life  he  labored 
faithfully  to  advance  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  the 
hearts  of  men.  He  was  not  fitted,  even  in  his  prime, 
for  the  life  of  a  pioneer.  He  loved  home  and  its  asso- 
ciations too  tenderly,  and  his  whole  nature  shrank  from 
rough  contact  with  the  world  at  large.  In  his  own 
church,  whenever  the  day  of  meeting  came,  he  was 
always  to  be  found  bearing  his  part  in  building  up  her 
waste  places.  He  continued  to  preach  at  the  Upper 
College  for  years,  but  the  infirmities  consequent  upon 
a  not  very  rugged  constitiition  forced  him  to  discon- 
tinue his  monthly  visits.  He  finally  moved  his  mem- 
bership to  Corinth  Church,  nearer  his  home,  and  to  her 
interest  and  welfare  contributed  the  latter  years  of  his 
life. 

As  a  preacher,  no  one  could  listen  to  him  without 
having  his  heart  warmed.  He  was  a  man  of  love.  His 
subjects  for  preaching  were  those  of  love,  forbearance, 
kindness,  gentleness,  goodness,  and  he  exalted  all  the 
virtues  of  the  Spirit.  He  never  voluntarily  engaged 
in  polemics,  but  if  forced  into  it  he  was  found  well 
posted  and  strong  in  facts  and  arguments,  while  at  the 
same  time  he  was  as  gentle  as  his  heart  was  good.  He 
would  not  intentionally  wound  the  feelings  of  any  one, 
and  if  he  was  in  conversation  with  one  who  did  not  re- 
spect his  convictions  or  feelings,  he  would  close  the  con- 
versation and  withdraw.  Being  a  man  of  sound  judg- 
ment and  of  mild  and  gentle  manners,  his  society  was 
sought  by  the  good  of  all  churches,  and  his  visits  at  the 


188  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

bedside  of  the  sick  or  to  the  chamber  of  sorrow  were 
highly  prized.  He  was  often  afflicted  himself  and  often 
bowed  down  with  melancholy  as  a  consequence  of  his 
poor  health.  During  these  visitations  the  world  was 
to  him  a  blank,  his  life  a  failure,  and  his  former  useful- 
ness a  myth.  While  in  such  a  state  of  mind,  his  dear 
wife  was  the  only  one  who  could  cheer  him  up  or  arrest 
his  thoughts.  She  was  a  woman  devoted  to  the  Lord, 
possessed  of  a  vivacious  mind,  and  always  cheerful. 
She  died  but  a  short  time  before  he  passed  away.  After 
her  death,  he,  being  well  stricken  in  years,  sought  the 
seclusion  his  surviving  children  were  glad  to  give  him, 
among  whom,  during  the  war,  and  in  the  arms  of  a 
beloved  daughter,  he  closed  his  eyes  upon  earth  and  all 
its  cares  for  a  resting  place  with  God. 


ELDER  JAMES  M.   BAGBY. 

This  devoted  child  of  God  was  born  in  Louisa 
county,  Virginia,  March  27,  1800.  His  father,  James 
Bagby,  was  in  straitened  circumstances,  consequently 
he  could  not  give  his  children  the  early  educational 
advantages  that  he  desired.  But,  though  his  father 
as  well  as  himself  had  to  labor  day  by  day,  his  educa- 
tion was  not  neglected.  His  mother  was  a  woman  of 
strong  mind  and  great  determination  of  character,  and 
she  not  only  taught  him  to  read  and  write,  but  in- 
stilled into  his  character  those  principles  of  manly 
virtue  and  integrity  which  are  only  to  be  obtained 
in  the  college  of  a  mother's  love.  The  nursery  where 
a  sensible  and  loving  mother  presides  is,  after  all,  the 
school  where  the  truly  good  and  great  are  made.  Im- 
pressions are  made  there  which  are  never  after  erased, 
nor  can  they  be.  As  imperishable  as  the  mother  love 
which  prompted  them  are  those  gentle  words  which 
in  the  nursery  fell  from  a  mother's  lips.  Memories 
of  later  events  may  perish,  but  they  remain. 

This  boy — James — was  the  constant  object  of  his 
mother's  care.  Thus  he  grew  up  knowing  nothing  of 
the  wiles  of  the  evil  one,  nor  of  the  power  he  exerted 
over  the  young  and  thoughtless.  It  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  that,  naturally  desiring  youthful  society, 
he  formed  unfortunate  associations;  and  the  conse- 
quences of  such  associations  were  marked  with  way- 
wardness and,  to  some  extent,   dissipation.     During 


190  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

this  period  of  his  hf e  he  was  sent  away  to  school ,  ac- 
companied by  the  prayers  of  loved  ones,  from  which 
school  he  usually  returned  at  the  close  of  each  week. 
The  Baptist  brethren  had  a  prayer-meeting  at  private 
houses  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  school  every  I<>iday 
afternoon.  On  one  of  these  occasions  he  attended, 
but  gave  no  attention  to  the  exhortations  nor  to  the 
exercises,  but  acted  with  wanton  levity,  and  was  more 
disposed  to  mock  than  attend  to  the  religious  exer- 
cises. 

From  the  meeting  he  started  for  home,  and  the  jour- 
ney gave  him  an  opportunity  to  think — to  think  of  that 
of  which  he  had  just  been  guilty  at  the  prayer-meeting — 
of  his  nursery  training,  and  of  a  vow  he  had  made 
during  a  recent  illness ;  and  being  belated  by  engrossed 
thought  he  was  obliged  to  stop  at  a  neighbor's  house 
for  the  night.  That  night  his  sense  of  sinfulness 
drove  sleep  from  his  eyes,  and  before  he  left  there  in 
the  morning  the  truth  of  God,  with  its  blessed  promises 
and  awful  threats,  impressed  him  with  a  consciousness 
of  his  guilty  and  accountable  state.  On  his  way 
home  every  step  but  increased  his  alarm  and  con- 
viction. He  determined  to  go  and  see  an  old  negro, 
who  was  a  Baptist  and  regarded  as  an  earnest  Christian, 
and  unbosom  his  state  to  him,  but  from  him  he  could 
learn  nothing.  This  rather  increased  his  agony  than 
removed  it.  On  Tuesday  morning  following  he  re- 
turned to  school,  and  on  entering  the  room  his  teacher 
was  so  struck  with  his  changed  and  melancholy  appear- 
ance that  he  enquired  concerning  his  health  and  that  of 
his  dear  ones  at  home.     James  then  related  to  him 


Elder  James  M.  Bagbij  191 

how  he  had  scoffed  at  religion  at  the  prayer-meeting; 
how  he  had  broken  a  solemn  vow  made  to  God  while 
upon  a  sick  bed,  and  trampled  upon  a  mother's  heart. 
His  mental  agony  was  intense.  He  had  no  pleasure 
in  his  studies  that  day,  and  in  the  afternoon  his 
teacher  accompanied  him  to  the  house  of  a  very  well- 
read  Baptist  family  named  Diggs.  The  object  of  the 
visit  was  explained,  and  they  listened  to  his  tale  of 
sorrow  and  anguish,  which  he  related  with  great 
minuteness.  No  sooner  had  he  got  through  than 
Mrs.  Diggs  exclaimed:  ''Mr.  Bagby,  you  must  be 
converted."  He,  knowing  the  lady  well,  and  having 
great  confidence  in  her  intelligence  and  goodness  of 
heart,  received  great  comfort  from  this  announcement, 
and  was  soon  composed.  His  teacher  had  much 
conversation  with  him  during  the  week,  and  on  the 
Lord's  Day  following  there  was  a  meeting  at  Fork 
meeting-house,  at  which  Elder  B.  Watkins  preached. 
After  preaching  Mr.  Bagby  walked  forward  and 
related  his  experience.  He  was  cordially  received, 
and  some  time  afterward  was  baptized  by  Elder 
Timothy  Swift,  and  united  with  Hopeful  Church,  in 
Hanover  county. 

Although  his  conversion  was  sudden  and  unexpected, 
and  as  some  thought  mysterious,  there  was  nothing 
about  it  that  was  unaccountable  from  a  perfectly 
natural  standpoint.  A  more  excitable  temperament 
than  Bro.  Bagby's  might  have  imagined  heavenly 
voices  and  other  wonderful  accompaniments,  such  as 
were  commonly  supposed  to  be  a  part  of  conversion, 
in  that  day.     His  deep  anxiety  and  depression  arose 


192  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

from  not  knowing  his  own  condition,  or  understanding 
what  God  would  have  him  do  under  the  circumstances. 
His  reUef  after  leaving  the  home  of  Mrs.  Diggs  was 
occasioned  by  the  assurance  of  that  good  woman 
that  he  was  converted.  Of  the  process  of  conversion 
he  was  as  ignorant  as  she  was,  and  rejoiced  that  the 
supposed  mysterious  process  had  been  working  out  in 
his  being  through  the  divine  election  and  grace  of  God. 
Had  he  been  acquainted  with  God's  plan  of  salvation 
or  had  one  to  guide  him  aright,  as  he  guided  others  in 
later  years,  he  might  have  been  saved  much  anxiety 
and  deed  despair.     However, 

"God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way 
His  wonders  to  perform," 

and  it  is  indeed  a  mystery  how  that  sometimes,  when 
the  blind  lead  the  bhnd,  God  keeps  them  both  from 
falling  into  the  ditch.  In  Bro.  Bagby's  case  the  results 
were  apparent,  hence  we  will  say  nothing  further  as  to 
the  means. 

Bro.  Bagby  was  an  exceedingly  conscientious  man, 
and  in  after  years,  when  his  mind  was  much  better 
informed  as  to  God's  will,  he  looked  back  upon  those 
ill-informed  days  of  seeking  after  God  and  became 
dissatisfied  with  his  baptism.  He  had  based  his  hope 
of  pardon  upon  his  feelings  rather  than  upon  his  faith 
and  obedience.  He  had  been  baptized  as  a  sign  of  the 
remission  of  his  sins,  having  already  felt  the  burden 
lifted  from  his  heart,  rather  than  ]or  the  remission  of 
his  sins.  Bro.  Bagby  was  not  one  to  give  to  baptism 
an  undue  prominence,  neither  was  he  one  to  wrest  it 
from    its  scriptural  place  as  the  culminating  act  of 


Elder  James  M.  Bagbij  193 

regeneration;  but  had  he  been  scripturally  baptized? 
To  be  right  before  God  was  his  highest  aspiration, 
and  if  he  could  be  right,  he  was  determined  to  be  so  at 
any  cost.  Hence,  after  much  reading,  thought,  prayer 
and  conversation  with  his  friends,  he  was  rebaptized. 
Had  Bro.  Bagby  Hved  in  the  age  in  wliich  we  hve  he 
would  no  doubt  have  spared  himself  this  repetition. 
As  it  was,  sectarianism  had  clouded  nearly  all  the 
teachings  and  practices  of  the  Bible,  and  to  conform 
to  the  Word  of  God  was  a  praiseworthy  motive.  As 
to  the  validity  of  the  former  action,  he  had  believed 
with  all  his  heart,  had  become  deeply  penitent,  and 
in  baptism  he  had  been  buried  with  Christ,  and  had 
arisen  to  walk  in  newness  of  life.  Because  he  thought 
his  sins  were  forgiven  before  he  was  baptized,  in 
no  wise  changed  or  invalidated  his  act  of  obedience. 

Bro.  Bagby  never  insisted  that  others  under  similar 
circumstances  should  be  rebaptized.  With  him  it  was 
purely  a  personal  matter,  not  a  doctrine.  In  1850 
Dr.  Du  Val  refused  to  admit,  without  rebaptism,  a 
lady  who  had  been  immersed  by  a  preacher  who  had 
himself  simply  been  sprinkled.  Bro.  Bagby  wrote 
an  article  on  this  point,  which  was  published  in  the 
Christian  Intelligencer  and  copied  in  the  Harbinger. 
He  closes  this  article  as  follows: 

''But  regarding  this  question  still  as  one  of  opinion 
and  not  of  faith,  I  conclude,  as  at  present  advised, 
that  by  assuming  a  positive  answer  to  the  question 
with  which  we  set  out,  and  acting  accordingly,  we  might 
keep  out  of  the  Church  of  Christ  some  of  his  saved 
ones.  For  himself  hath  said — and  blessed  be  his  name — 
'He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved.' " 

13 


194  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

In  the  summer  of  1827  Bro.  Bagby  immersed  into 
the  name  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit  several 
persons  residing  in  the  vicinity  of  Fork  Church.  These 
desired  to  be  received  into  the  above  mentioned 
(Baptist)  church.  It  became  a  question  with  the 
church  as  to  whether  they  should  be  received  into 
fellowship  or  not.  The  formula  used  by  Bro.  Bagby 
in  their  baptism  was,  ''I  immerse  thee  into  the  name/' 
etc.,  instead  of,  ''I  baptize  thee  in,"  etc.  At  this 
rate  the  name  Baptist  would  soon  be  a  thing  of  the 
past,  and  the  dignity  of  the  church  could  not  over- 
look, much  less  accept,  such  a  change.  There  was  one 
old  negro  who  was  very  anxious  to  be  taken  into 
fellowship  with  these  brethren  and  thus  become  a  full- 
fledged  Baptist;  so  they  finally  agreed  to  hear  his 
experience,  and  if  acceptable  they  would  rebaptize 
him.  On  the  first  Lord's  Day  in  June,  1829,  he  re- 
lated his  experience,  and  was  accordingly  rebaptized 
by  Timothy  T.  Swift.  The  poor  negro  had  been  dis- 
appointed so  often  that  when  he  finally  felt  the  oppro- 
brious epithets  of  his  fellowmen  washed  away  he  could 
no  longer  contain  himself,  but,  as  he  came  up  out  of 
the  water,  joyfully  shouted,  'T  ain't  no  Campbellite 
now!" 

We  cite  this  to  show  the  difference  between  a  re- 
baptism  which,  as  in  the  case  of  Bro.  Bagby,  however 
unnecessary,  was  the  result  of  a  conscientious  mind, 
and  that  of  one  which  was  required  simply  to  build 
up  and  sustain  sectarian  interests.  The  former  was 
unnecessary  but  no  mockery,  the  latter  was  both 
unnecessary  and  a  mockery.     Bro.  Bagby  never  re- 


Elder  James  M.  Bagby  195 

quired  it  in  others  as  a  term  of  admission  into  the 
kingdom. 

We  will  now  return  to  Bro.  Bagby's  career  after 
first  uniting  with  Hopeful  Church.  He  was  considered 
quite  an  acquisition.  He  was  zealous  and  determined 
in  his  religious  positions,  and  a  good  speaker,  being 
possessed  of  a  natural  eloquence,  and  an  easy,  grace- 
ful manner  that  gave  a  polish  to  all  his  talks.  He  had 
a  very  sharp,  piercing  eye,  that  made  opponents  shrink 
before  him.  It  is  not  surprising  that  with  these  at- 
tainments, combined  with  a  good  English  education, 
he  was  soon  regarded  as  one  destined  to  preach  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.  His  brethren,  who 
loved  him  and  clustered  about  him  their  best  hopes, 
manifested  their  confidence  in  him  by  having  him 
ordained  to  the  ministry  in  Hopeful  Church.  Up  to 
this  time  he  had  accepted  most  of  the  Calvinistic 
extravagances  of  Baptist  theology.  Dreams,  visions, 
sounds  and  other  fanatical  experiences  related  by 
zealous  converts  soon  made  his  thoughtful  mind  turn 
to  the  Bible  for  their  counterpart,  but  there  he  found 
none.  About  this  time  the  Christian  Baptist  fell  into 
his  hands,  and  he  became  a  regular  reader  of  it.  This 
stimulated  him  to  a  more  complete  study  of  God's 
Word,  and  soon  he  began  to  plead  for  a  return  to  the 
Christianity  of  the  New  Testament.  Few  now  living 
can  appreciate  the  cost  of  such  a  course.  His  brethren 
of  yesterday  became  his  avowed  enemies.  As  they 
could  bring  no  charge  against  his  moral  character  they 
were  forced,  against  their  will,  and  nuich  to  their 
chagrin,  to  give  him  an  honorable  dismission  from  the 


196  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Church.  In  order  to  cover  his  pathway  with  thorns, 
at  a  church  meeting  a  committee  of  two  were  appointed 
to  demand  his  Ucense  to  preach.  This  he  refused  to 
surrender  upon  a  demand,  though  he  was  wilhng  to 
Hsten  to  the  committee  if  they  were  bearers  of  a  re- 
quest. This  was  too  humihating  for  a  powerful  de- 
nomination to  be  held  in  abeyance  by  a  young  man 
standing  virtually  alone  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies. 
Soon  after  this  he  applied  for  license  to  solemnize  the 
rite  of  marriage.  One  of  his  former  brethren  was  a 
member  of  the  court,  and  saw  that  if  he  retired  from  the 
bench  the  court  could  not  proceed.  This  was  done, 
but  the  spectators  saw  through  the  move  and  soon  had 
another  magistrate  in  place,  and  the  application  was 
granted.  The  meeting-houses  were  now  closed  against 
him  and  every  effort  resorted  to  to  prevent  him  from 
having  a  hearing;  but  so  much  the  more  did  his  con- 
gregation increase  and  his  popularity  extend.  Another 
of  his  former  brethren,  who  was  very  active  in  throw- 
ing every  difficulty  in  his  pathway,  in  a  year  or  two 
aspired  to  political  promotion;  and  as  Bro.  Bagby 
had  become  a  power  in  the  county,  wishing  to 
secure  his  influence,  he  wrote  him  an  apology  for 
his  religious  intolerance.  This  was  too  much  for  Bro. 
Bagby.  He  could  see  how  a  religionist  could  be 
blinded  by  prejudice  so  as  to  resort  to  intolerance  and 
act  very  unworthily.  With  this  view  he  bore  with 
patience  the  many  hard  things  that  were  said  and 
done  against  him ;  but  when  a  man  could  set  aside  for 
political  promotion,  that  which  he  had   already  told 


Elder  James  M.  Baghy  197 

him  was  the  conscientious  religious  conviction  of  his 
heart,  his  confidence  in  him  was  gone. 

The  author  has  often  heard  it  related  by  the  friends 
and  descendants  of  Bro.  Bagby  that  at  one  time 
religious  intolerance  rose  to  such  a  height  that  his 
opponents  threatened  to  burn  him  at  the  stake. 
Whether  or  not  this  threat  was  actually  made,  it  is 
certain  that  only  the  laws  of  the  land  ever  kept  many 
of  our  forefathers  from  personal  violence,  so  deep- 
seated  was  the  religious  intolerance  of  that  day. 

Soon  after  his  separation  from  the  Baptists,  he,  with 
others  from  several  churches,  and  some  who  had  been 
recently  baptized  upon  a  confession  of  their  faith  in 
Christ,  built  a  meeting-house  in  the  lower  end  of 
Lousia  county,  which  they  named  Bethany.  This, 
we  understand,  w^as  the  first  meeting-house  built  by 
our  brethren  in  Eastern  Virginia.  Mention  of  this 
has  already  been  made  in  the  first  chapter  of  this 
work.  Bro.  Bagby  was  chosen  their  regular  evange- 
list, which  position  he  faithfully  occupied  until  the 
day  of  his  death. 

Much  has  already  been  said  of  the  conscientiousness 
of  this  earnest  man.  He  owned  several  slaves,  but 
would  not  permit  his  children  to  have  a  piano,  for 
which  his  slaves  would  have  to  toil,  bearing  the  burden 
and  heat  of  many  days.  Although  he  often  preached 
showing  the  utter  abrogation  of  the  Law,  yet  he  always 
refused  to  have  his  picture  taken  because  of  the  second 
commandment:  'Thou  shalt  not  make  to  thyself  any 
graven  image,  nor  the  likeness  of  anything  in  heaven  or 
earth."     These   little   incidents    show   how   truly   he 


198  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

sought  to  serve  God.  While  we  regard  them  as  vaga- 
ries, we  cannot  but  admire  the  motive  that  prompted 
him  to  forsake  all  that  was  vain  and  worldl3Mn  order 
fully  to  serve  Christ. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  Turner  Cocke  in 
1826,  and  in  her  found  a  true  partner  in  all  his  sorrows 
and  joys.  They  had  four  children,  three  daughters 
and  one  son.  Bro.  Bagby  died  in  1856,  surrounded  by 
his  family.     His  work  will  ever  live. 

Bro.  Peter  Ainslie  (Second),  in  wTiting  a  sketch  of 
him  in  the  Christian  Examiner,  in  1871,  said:  "He 
was  a  good  and  laborious  man,  in  fact  he  w^orked 
beyond  his  strength.  He  was  a  self-sacrificing  man. 
He  would  work  all  the  week,  in  winter's  cold  and 
summer's  heat,  and  preach  on  Lord's  Day  for  churches 
W'hich  never  considered  properly  that  the  laborer  was 
worthy  of  his  hire.  Many  a  night,  after  working  hard 
from  early  morn  until  late  dewy  eve,  tired  and  worn 
by  fatigue,  he  would  have  to  sit  up  studying,  in  order 
to  preach  the  coming  day  to  those  who  at  that  very 
moment  were  reposing  in  their  downy  beds.  Brethren, 
these  things  ought  not  to  have  been,  nor  ought  they 
now  to  exist.  Some  time  last  year,  I  visited  the  late 
home  of  our  departed  brother,  and  enjoyed  the  hospi- 
tality of  our  wddowed  sister  and  two  of  her  children; 
but  my  enjoyment  was  to  some  extent  blighted,  as  I 
could  see  from  where  I  sat  the  waving  boughs  that 
overshadowed  the  resting  place  of  the  sainted  dead. 
And  when  at  night  w^e  were  about  to  retire,  the  very 
same   New   Testament,    well   worn,    and   bearing   the 


Elder  James  M.  Baghy  199 

evidences  upon  its  pages  that  it  had  been  closely  read, 
was  put  into  my  hands,  I  felt  not  only  that  I  was 
handling  the  Word  of  God,  but  also  a  sacred  memento 
of  my  brother's  fidelity.     Faithful  man  of  God — 

"  'Tossed  no  more  on  life's  rough  billow, 
All  the  storms  of  sorrow  fled 
Death  hath  found  a  quiet  pillow 
For  the  aged  Christian's  head. 

Peaceful  slumbers 
Guarding  now  his  lowly  bed.'  " 


DR.  CHESTER  BULLARD. 

Dr.  Chester  Bullard  was  the  child  of  Baptist  par- 
ents. His  early  childhood  was  spent  in  Montgomery 
county,  in  Southwest  Virginia,  near  the  source  of  the 
Roanoke  river,  about  three  miles  from  Christiansburg. 
This  section  was  rife  with  irreligion,  there  being  but 
three  professing  Christians  among  the  four  hundred 
inhabitants  of  Christiansburg.  In  the  midst  of  such 
society  it  was  the  constant  prayer  of  Bro.  Bullard's 
parents  that  he  might  be  led  to  Christ,  and  the  family 
altar  was  never  neglected.  How  much  better  would 
be  the  condition  of  our  children  under  the  superior 
advantages  of  this  later  age  if  we  never  let  the  fires 
on  the  family  altar  die  out.  As  Chester  Bullard  grew 
up  into  manhood  he  showed  a  remarkable  interest  in 
matters  of  religion,  and  finally  began  to  experience 
much  distress  of  mind  concerning  his  salvation.  He 
had  been  taught  the  prevailing  doctrine  of  spiritual 
regeneration,  with  all  the  attending  phenomena  of 
signs  and  visions,  and  earnestly  did  he  seek  for 
that  feeling  of  assurance  that  his  sins  were  pardoned. 

About  this  time  the  Methodists  made  their  appear- 
ance in  the  community,  and  Bro.  Bullard  early  became 
a  seeker  at  the  mourners'  bench.  He  finally  professed 
conversion,  but  could  not  subscribe  to  many  of  the 
doctrines  of  that  body,  so  he  remained  unconnected 
with  any  religious  body.  He  was  now  seventeen  years 
of  age  and  began  to  study  the  Bible  with  renewed 
vigor,  and  devoted  much  time  to  this  pursuit.     He 


Dr.  Chester  Bullard  201 

was  possessed  of  an  independent  mind,  a  deep  love  of 
God,  and  an  earnest  desire  to  learn  his  will,  and  with 
these  qualifications  he  soon  saw  that  after  faith  in 
Christ  and  repentance  from  sin,  baptism  was  required. 

About  this  time  his  eldest  brother  happened  to  be 
travelling  in  Pennsylvania,  and,  after  supper  at  a 
pubHc  house,  found,  upon  retiring  to  his  room  from 
the  uncongenial  company  at  the  inn,  a  number  of  the 
Christian  Baptist  lying  on  the  table.  He  read  this 
before  retiring,  and  was  so  much  pleased  with  it  that 
he  advised  his  brother-in-law  upon  his  return  to 
Montgomery  county,  Va.,  to  subscribe  for  it,  telling 
him  that  the  editor  was  a  half  century  ahead  of  his 
age.  This  advice  was  taken,  and  the  last  number  of 
the  Christian  Baptist  and  the  first  of  the  Millennial 
Harbinger  were  duly  received,  but  for  lack  of  interest 
in  the  matters  treated  most  of  the  numbers  were 
thrown  aside  unread. 

During  that  year  (1831)  Mr.  Bullard,  w^ho  had 
studied  medicine  a  little,  decided  to  complete  his 
studies  wdth  Dr.  D.  J.  Chapman,  near  the  Sulphur 
Springs,  in  Giles  county.  Here,  where  the  Sinking 
Creek  flows  for  four  miles  under  Thomas  mountain 
and  empties  itself  beneath  the  cliffs  into  New  River, 
he  took  up  the  study  of  medicine.  But  religious 
matters  were  uppermost  in  his  mind.  He  had  decided 
to  be  immersed,  but  could  find  no  one  to  immerse  him 
except  the  Baptists,  and  if  immersed  by  them  he 
would  have  to  unite  with  that  denomination,  as  they 
baptized  into  the  Baptist  Church.  This  he  was  un- 
willing to  submit  to,  as  he  could  not  approve  of  many 


202  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

of  their  tenets  sufficiently  to  unite  with  them.  During 
this  period  of  his  isolation  Landon  Duncan,  being  tax 
assessor  for  the  county,  happened  to  be  in  the  neighbor- 
hood on  official  business.  Since  his  baptism  by  the 
"White  Pilgrim/'  Duncan  had  become  something  of 
a  preacher.  On  this  visit  he  met  Dr.  Bullard,  and  the 
two  soon  fell  into  a  conversation  on  the  matters  of 
religion,  uppermost  in  both  minds.  Mr.  Bullard  freely 
connnunicated  his  views  and  wishes,  and,  although  he 
frankly  expressed  his  dissent  from  some  of  the  views 
held  by  Mr.  Duncan,  the  latter  agreed  to  baptize  him. 
This  w^as  done  without  dela)^,  and  Bro.  Bullard  now 
felt  himself  qualified  by  obedience  to  proclaim  the 
simple  gospel  of  a  risen  Christ. 

After  his  baptism  Chester  Bullard  at  once  began  to 
labor  in  the  word  and  doctrine,  delivering  his  first 
discourse  on  the  evening  of  the  day  in  which  he  was 
baptized.  He  avoided  the  speculative  doctrines  of  the 
day,  such  as  that  concerning  the  atonement,  with 
which  Landon  Duncan  and  the  Christian  Connection 
were  much  occupied.  On  the  contrary,  he  presented 
simple  views  of  the  Gospel,  showing  that  faith  comes 
not  as  a  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  by  hearing  the 
Word  of  God;  and  that  he  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tized shall  be  saved.  Two  years  of  hard  labor  passed 
before  a  single  soul  made  the  good  confession  and  was 
baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins.  The  seed  he  had 
been  diligently  sowing  had  taken  root,  and  now  the 
harvest  time  was  near  at  hand.  In  a  short  time  a 
small  band  had  been  gathered  and  formed  themselves 
into  a  Church  of  Christ.     This  congregation  met  near 


Dr.  Chester  Bullard  203 

the  source  of  the  Catawba.  By  degrees  those  who 
were  members  of  the  Christian  Connection,  inchiding 
Landon  Duncan,  gave  in  their  adhesion  to  the  new 
''Bullardite"  movement,  as  it  was  called,  and  one  James 
Redpath  and  others  began  to  aid  in  the  public  ministry. 
From  1835  to  1840  a  number  of  churches  were  organized 
throughout  that  section. 

In  1839  Dr.  Bullard  happened,  while  at  the  home  of 
his  brother-in-law,  to  pick  up  a  copy  of  the  Harbinger, 
which  turned  out  to  be  Mr.  Campbell's  ''Extra  on 
Remission."  Up  to  this  time  he  had  shared  the  com- 
mon prejudice  against  what  \vas  termed  ''Campbell- 
ism."  He  was  now  surprised  and  delighted  with  the 
new  views  this  Extra  gave  of  the  Gospel,  and  imme- 
diately sought  out  all  the  back  numbers  of  the  Har- 
hinger.  He  was  overjoyed  to  find  how  clear  and 
consistent  were  ^Ir.  Campbell's  views,  and  how  different 
they  were  from  the  slanderous  misrepresentations  that 
had  been  circulated  through  pulpit  and  press.  He 
immediately  began  to  circulate  these  writings,  and 
preached  with  greater  clearness  than  before  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints;  being  strengthened  by 
the  thought  that  he  was  not  alone  in  the  work  he  had 
already  been  doing  in  a  small  waj^,  but  surrounded 
by  a  host  of  brethren,  all  laboring  in  the  same  cause. 
Hearing  that  Mr.  Campbell  was  to  visit  Charlottes- 
ville in  1840,  Dr.  Bullard  decided  to  meet  him.  They 
met  and  had  many  lengthy  interviews  during  the  few^ 
days  of  Mr.  Campbell's  visit,  and  formed  an  acquain- 
tance and  mutual  admiration  that  continued  through 
Hfe. 


204  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

On  a  notable  occasion  the  Methodists  chose  one  of 
their  preachers,  T.  J.  Stone,  to  represent  them  in  a 
debate  with  Dr.  Bullard  on  the  subject  of  baptism. 
The  debate  was  to  be  held  in  a  grove  at  a  place  some 
distance  from  Dr.  Bullard 's  home,  and  he  had  to  start 
the  day  before  to  get  there.  Late  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  first  day 's  journey  the  Doctor  fell  in  with  the  preacher 
who  was  to  be  his  opponent  of  the  following  day.  Mr. 
Stone  had  been  studying  the  Campbell  and  Rice 
Debate  in  search  of  argument  to  sustain  his  side  of 
the  question.  As  they  rode  along  together  their  talk 
turned  on  the  debate  to  be  held  the  next  day,  and  Bro. 
Bullard  noticed  rather  a  lack  of  confidence  in  the 
language  of  his  opponent.  The  wily  Doctor  adjusted 
the  conversation  so  that  he  might  find  out  the  cause 
of  this,  and  soon  came  to  the  conclusion  that  his  op- 
ponent had  but  little  relish  for  the  affair,  and,  in  short, 
in  his  research  his  confidence  in  affusion  had  been  up- 
set. Bro.  Bullard  finally  said,  ''Bro.  Stone,  you  better 
let  me  baptize  you  to-morrow  instead  of  debating." 
Mr.  Stone  answered  that  if  it  were  not  for  one  or  two 
objections,  he  would. 

That  night  they  spent  at  Mr.  Stone's  home,  and  the 
quick-witted  Doctor  soon  perceived  that  one  of  the 
greatest  objections  was  Stone's  wife.  Accordingly  he 
gave  her  much  attention,  and  the  three  searched  the 
Scriptures  till  the  small  hours  of  the  night. 

A  large  crowd  was  assembled  next  day  to  hear  the 
debate.  Bro.  Bullard  announced  that  there  would 
be  no  debate,  but  that  he  would  preach  that  morning 
and  Bro.  Stone  in  the  afternoon,  also  that  there  would 


Dr.  Chester  Bullard  205 

be  an  immersion  directly  after  the  morning  services. 
Much  to  the  surprise  of  all,  both  Bro.  Stone  and  his 
wife  presented  themselves  for  baptism  when  the  in- 
vitation was  given.  This  couple  are  still  living,  having 
preached  the  Old  Jerusalem  gospel  for  many  years  in 
Virginia.* 

Dr.  Bullard  travelled  all  over  Virginia  preaching, 
baptized  thousands,  and  organized  a  great  number  of 
churches.  For  many  years  he  was  the  only  real 
preacher  of  the  reformation  in  Southwestern  Virginia. 
He  was  an  earnest  man,  a  strong  preacher,  an  ex- 
horter  of  great  force  and  an  untiring  worker.  He 
lived  to  see  much  fruit  of  his  early  labors  and  enjoyed 
the  honor,  esteem  and  love  of  all  who  knew  him. 

*Bro.  Stone  has  passed  away  since  this  was  written. 


REUBEN  LINDSAY  COLEMAN. 

Reuben  Lindsay  Coleman  was  born  May  13,  1807, 
near  Scottsville,  Va.  His  parents  were  Baptists,  and 
he  was  early  of  a  religious  turn  of  mind.  The  story  of 
his  conversion  is  not  unlike  that  of  Dr.  BuUard.  When 
only  nine  years  of  age  the  death  of  his  mother  pro- 
duced a  profound  religious  impression  and  led  him  to 
much  reflection  and  prayer.  At  the  death  of  his 
eldest  brother,  when  Reuben  was  sixteen  years  old, 
these  early  impressions  were  so  deepened  that  he 
resolved  to  become  a  Christian.  Here  arose  a  new 
difficulty.  He  knew  not  how  to  enter  upon  the 
Christian  life.  The  prevailing  theology  of  that  day 
taught  that  he  must  wait  for  the  Spirit  to  give  evi- 
dence of  pardon,  that  this  must  be  sought  with  prayer; 
that  he  must  become  dejected  and  downcast  until 
such  time  as  that  the  Spirit  should  bring  to  him  the 
joys  of  salvation.  To  attain  this  end  he  attended  a 
meeting  in  the  Methodist  Church  near  his  home,  and 
sought  peace  at  the  mourners'  bench.  Many  prayers 
were  offered  for  him,  but  he  failed  to  find  the  peace  he 
sought.  Bro.  Coleman  was  not  of  an  emotional  nature, 
to  be  easily  misled  by  his  feelings.  When  he  sought 
for  a  sign  of  forgiveness,  he  looked  for  something  more 
than  that  w^hich  found  its  genesis  in  the  excitement 
of  the  hour,  and  would  not  be  deceived  He  sought 
a  change  of  heart  when  a  change  of  heart  would  have 
been  the  worst  thing  that  could  come  to  him.  He 
already  loved  the  Lord  and  hated  sin;  had  his  heart 


Reuben  Lindsay  Coleman  207 

(i.  e.,  affections)  been  changed,  he  would  not  love  the 
Lord  but  would  love  sin.  He  had  both  believed  and 
repented  but  knew  it  not,  because  of  the  cloud  super- 
stition had  cast  over  his  mind.  Many  there  be  who 
seek  a  change  of  heart  when  their  heart  is  already 
changed.  They  look  for  some  inward  spiritual  testi- 
mony when  the  best  testimony  that  could  be  offered 
is  their  own  obedience.  For  three  years  Bro.  Coleman 
applied  himself  to  the  study  of  his  Bible  with  such 
earnestness  that  his  health  finally  gave  way.  Realizing 
that  he  was  a  sinner  that  desired  salvation,  and  that 
Christ  came  to  save  such,  he  asked  himself:  '^Why  am 
I  not  saved?  Christ  needs  not  to  be  made  willing  by 
the  intercession  of  prayers,  for  'Him  that  cometh 
to  me  I  will  in  no  w4se  cast  out.'  I  love  God  and 
the  people  of  God.  I  pray  to  God  and  desire  to 
serve  him,  yet  have  no  assurance  that  my  sins  are 
forgiven."  He  saw  that  both  God  and  himself  being 
willing,  nothing  remained  but  for  him  to  become  an 
obedient  servant  of  the  kingdom.  He  determined  to 
offer  himself  for  baptism.  This  he  did  to  the  Baptist 
Church,  and  though  he  could  give  no  experience  of 
acceptance  with  God,  they  regarded  his  experience  as 
an  evidence  of  the  w^orking  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
declared  him  a  fit  subject  to  receive  God's  appointed 
ordinance.  No  sooner  did  he  arise  from  the  waters 
of  obedience  and  the  bath  of  regeneration  than  he  felt 
that  evidence  he  had  so  long  sought  in  vain.  His  faith 
was  now  made  perfect  in  obedience.  The  dark  clouds 
that  had  bothered  him  passed  away.  He  knew  he  w^as 
saved    because    the  Spirit  witnessed  with  his  spirit 


208  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

that  he  was  a  child  of  God.  It  was  a  part  of  the 
testimony  of  the  Spirit  that  ''Whosoever  beUeveth  and 
is  baptized,  shall  be  saved/'  and  again  the  same  Spirit 
testified,  ''Repent  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you, 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  This 
was  the  "witness  of  the  Spirit,"  and  the  witness  of  his 
spirit  was  that  it  had  become  subject  and  obedient  to 
the  Spirit  of  God.  The  Spirit  bore  witness  with  his 
spirit  that  he  was  a  child  of  God  when  his  life  testified 
with  the  Word  of  God.  In  both  was  the  Spirit  bearing 
witness. 

Soon  after  his  baptism  Bro.  Coleman  began  to 
accompany  Gilbert  Mason  on  his  preaching  tours. 
Mr.  Mason  was  a  young  Baptist  preacher,  and  after 
much  urging  he  induced  his  companion  to  take  a  text 
and  deliver  a  sermon.  Soon  after  this  the  two  were 
urged  to  hold  a  series  of  meetings  at  Charlottesville, 
which  they  did,  and  organized  a  Church  of  about  sixty 
members.     This  was  probably  about  the  year  1831. 

Mr.  Coleman  early  became  a  reader  of  the  Christian 
Baptist,  and  during  the  Constitutional  Convention  in 
1830  he  heard  for  the  first  time  the  principles  of  the 
reformation  advocated  by  Alexander  Campbell,  in 
Richmond.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  Campbell  discoursed 
for  three  hours  on  the  relation  of  the  Jewish  and 
Christian  Covenants.  Mr.  Campbell  was  at  that  time 
connected  with  the  Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Coleman 
embraced  the  views  set  forth,  and  became  one  of  the 
most  zealous  fellow-workers  of  this  prince  of  reformers. 


Reuben  Lindsay  Coleman  209 

Soon  after  the  meeting  at  Charlottesville,  Bro.  Cole- 
man was  ordained  pastor  of  the  church  there  by 
Elders  John  Goss  and  Porter  Cleveland.  This  was  in 
May,  1831,  and  he  continued  to  serve  this  church  for 
many  years.  Late  in  the  year  1835  the  church  was 
divided  by  a  minority,  who  tried  to  exclude  the  ma- 
jority, as  related  in  the  Ninth  Chapter  of  our  Historical 
Sketch,  and  Bro.  Coleman  continued  \\-ith  the  main 
body  of  the  church.  These  threw  aside  sectarian 
practices  and  reorganized  themselves  as  a  Church  of 
Christ.  The  same  year,  in  company  with  Bro.  James 
W.  Goss,  he  began  the  pubUcation  of  the  Christian 
Publisher,  the  first  paper  published  by  the  reformation 
in  Eastern  Virginia. 

Bro.  Coleman  soon  came  to  be  looked  upon  as  one 
of  the  leading  reformers  of  his  State,  and  often  ac- 
companied Mr.  Campbell  on  his  preaching  tours.  On 
one  occasion,  when  the  two  were  on  a  visit  to  Philadel- 
phia, Mr.  Campbell  announced  that  Bro.  Coleman  was 
present  and  would  speak  alternately  ^dth  him  during 
the  evenings  of  the  week.  Accordingly  Mr.  Coleman* 
spoke  the  next  evening,  but  feeling  that  the  people 
would  rather  hear  Mr.  Campbell  he  next  day  took  the 
train  for  home,  and  left  Mr.  Campbell,  as  he  said,  ''to 
alternate  with  himself." 

Xo  better  description  of  Bro.  Coleman  can  be  given 
than  the  following  from  the  pen  of  Mr,  Campbell  in  the 
Harbinger  of  1845: 

"His  eloquence  is  truly  evangelical.  It  is  the 
eloquence  of  good  sense,  of  refined  sentiment,  of  deep 
feeling,  and  of  impassioned  earnestness.     He  has  been 

14 


210  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

so  much  in  communion  with  apostles  and  prophets, 
so  long  and  so  intimately  conversant  with  their  writ- 
ings, as  to  have  caught  their  spirit  and  acquired  their 
solemn  and  impressive  manner  of  presenting  the  Will 
of  God  and  its  sovereign  claims  upon  the  affection  and 
the  acquiescence  of  all  his  hearers." 

The  above  description  gives  a  vivid  picture  of  the 
impression  produced  by  this  Gospel  preacher.  He 
reminded  his  hearers  of  one  of  the  old  prophets.  An 
ungodly  man  once  said  that  he  would  go  farther  to  hear 
Lindsay  Coleman  say  ''0  Lord!"  than  to  listen  to  a 
sermon  by  any  other  preacher  that  ever  lived. 

Bro.  Coleman  was  one  of  the  representatives  chosen 
by  the  disciples  to  represent  them  at  the  Union 
Conference  in  Richmond,  in  1866,  and  took  an  impor- 
tant part  in  that  conference.  He  was  the  lifelong 
friend  and  co-laborer  of  Geo.  W.  Abell,  who  was  led  to 
the  clear  light  of  the  Gospel  through  the  preaching  of 
Bro.  Coleman,  as  related  in  the  Hfe  of  Bro.  Abell.  He 
died  in  Florida,  April  21,  1880. 


BENJAMIN  CREEL. 

"  Parson  Creel/'  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  was  born 
in  Fauquier  county,  Va.,  in  1803.  He  was  the  son  of 
George  and  Mary  Creel.  His  mother,  Mary  Ball,  was  a 
relative  of  the  mother  of  President  Washington.  He 
was  twice  married,  the  first  time  to  Mary  Ellen  Carpen- 
ter when  he  was  twenty-seven  years  of  age.  He  was  the 
father  of  twelve  children,  all  by  his  first  marriage,  and 
lived  to  see  his  children's  children  unto  the  fifth  gen- 
eration. 

Bro.  Creel  was  a  close  student  of  the  Bible,  even  in 
his  boyhood,  and  professed  religion  at  an  early  age, 
uniting  with  the  Baptist  Church. 

He  had  only  three  months'  schoohng,  but  ac- 
quired a  good  knowledge  of  grammar  and  the  funda- 
mentals of  education  by  close  application  to  his  books 
at  home,  and  during  the  long  winter  evenings  he  stored 
away  in  his  mind  many  useful  facts,  by  the  light  of  the 
pine  knot.  When  quite  a  young  man  he  felt  called  to 
the  ministry,  and  was  encouraged  by  Joseph  A. 
Mansfield,  a  Baptist  preacher,  who  then  had  the  care  of 
Good  Hope  Baptist  Church,  in  Madison  county.  Dur- 
ing his  ministry  as  a  Baptist  he  built  up  Priddy's  Creek 
and  Earlysville  Churches,  in  Albemarle  county,  organ- 
ized Spring  Hill  Church,  and  served  Liberty  Church,  in 
Greene  county,  for  twenty  years. 

''Parson  Creel"  was  a  man  that  would  attract  atten- 
tion in  any  company  of  men.  He  was  not  considered 
a  handsome  man,  but  his  fine,  intelligent  black  eyes 


212  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

seemed  to  partake  of  eA^ery  varying  emotion  of  the 
mind,  and  their  brilHancy  Ughted  up  his  otherwise  plain 
features.  His  mouth  indicated  firmness,  but  the  pleas- 
ant humor  lurking  around  it  relieved  the  general  harsh- 
ness of  his  mobile  face.  His  dress  was  of  plain  home- 
spun; indeed,  anything  else  would  not  have  been  in 
keeping  with  his  plain,  open  nature.  Truth,  honor,  firm- 
ness, and  great  will  power  were  characteristics  that 
enabled  him  to  surmount  the  difficulties  that  lie  in  the 
path  of  every  life.  He  was  candid  even  to  bluntness, 
and  possessed  an  intuition  that  enabled  him  to  read 
people  at  a  glance.  He  scorned  a  hypocrite  or  a  dissem- 
bler. Dr.  Jennings,  a  zealous  Methodist  of  Greene 
county,  said  that  ''Mr.  Creel  was  a  man  who  w^as  neither 
ashamed  nor  afraid  to  express  his  sentiments  under  any 
and  all  circumstances." 

Bro.  Creel  w^as  a  tinner  by  trade,  and  also  worked  as 
a  shoemaker,  a  blacksmith  and  a  farmer,  raising  his 
large  family  by  manual  labor,  as  the  churches  for  which 
he  labored  paid  him  little  or  nothing.  He  acquired 
considerable  property  by  his  first  wdfe,  but  did  not 
spend  much  time  in  efforts  to  augment  it,  so  his  finan- 
cial career  was  not  a  great  success.  He  preferred  to 
labor  in  the  Master's  vineyard  without  money  and 
without  price.  He  often  preached  in  private  homes 
or  in  the  woods,  and  often  rode  many  miles  in  bad 
weather  to  marry  couples,  receiving  for  such  service, 
''I  thank  3^ou." 

Some  interesting  anecdotes  are  told  of  this  quaint 
preacher.  On  one  occasion  in  the  Blue  Ridge,  after 
uniting  a  couple  in  marriage,  he  was  requested  to  ar- 


Benjamin  Creel  213 

range  the  waiters  and  show  them  how  to  walk  to  the 
table.  He  stepped  right  off,  saying  as  he  did  so,  "Fol- 
low me!"  which  they  did. 

For  many  years  Benjamin  Creel  led  a  quiet,  simple 
life,  discharging  his  duties  as  pastor  of  several  Baptist 
churches,  and  at  intervals  working  at  his  trade.  But 
uneventful  as  this  period  may  have  seemed,  it  was 
fraught  with  great  responsibility.  He  had  installed 
himself  tutor  of  an  especially  rich  mind,  and  every  mo- 
ment that  could  be  taken  from  his  other  duties  found 
him  poring  over  his  books.  He  had  surrounded  him- 
self with  a  few  well-chosen  volumes  on  many  subjects, 
but  his  especial  delight  was  in  ancient  histories  and 
books  bearing  upon  Biblical  history.  The  Bible  was 
the  supreme  work,  and  the  final  decision  upon  any 
question  must  be  derived  from  it  if  within  its  scope. 

Thus  the  years  passed,  and  the  great  epoch  of  his  life 
approached  with  a  rapidity  that  no  human  power  could 
stay. 

It  was  in  the  year  1859  that  A.  B.  Walthall  and 
George  W.  Abell  came  to  Stanardsville,  Greene  county, 
and  preached  the  Old  Jerusalem  Gospel.  They  were 
scoffed  at  and  derided.  But  in  spite  of  the  opprobrium, 
over  twenty  souls  were  baptized  by  them.  The  sec- 
tarians hurled  their  shafts  of  ridicule,  and  sinners 
vied  with  them  in  seeing  which  could  heap  the  greatest 
insults  on  the  little  band  of  disciples  of  their  much  per- 
secuted master.  Finally  it  was  whispered  that  Bro. 
Creel  was  showing  great  interest  in  the  meeting.  Since 
it  began  he  had  been  a  regular  attendant.  Some  of 
his  Baptist  brethren  misjudged  his  motive  when  they 


214  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

said  among  themselves,  ''Now  we'll  get  the  truth  about 
these  heretics."  But  they  saw  their  mistake  when, 
in  reply  to  their  interrogations,  he  said,  ''Those  breth- 
ren are  preaching  the  Bible  as  I  understand  it."  In 
that  moment  they  forgot  what  their  dear  old  pastor 
had  done  for  them  during  his  years  of  faithful  service. 
The}^  felt  that  he  was  disgracing  himself  and  his 
churches.  The  entire  county  was  in  a  turmoil.  Some 
refused  to  believe  that  a  man  of  Mr.  Creel's  sense  and 
stability  of  character  would  countenance  such  im- 
postors. 

While  matters  stood  thus,  Bros.  Walthall  and  Abell 
closed  the  meeting  at  Stanardsville.  The  following 
Lord's  day  was  Bro.  Creel's  appointment  at  Liberty 
(Baptist)  Church,  in  the  mountains,  on  Middle  river. 
Brethren  Walthall  and  Abell  also  were  there.  The  em- 
blems of  the  Lord's  body  and  blood  were  spread  upon 
His  table.  Little  did  that  large  audience  know  of  the 
sacrifice  Parson  Creel  had  decided  to  make.  Standing 
by  the  table  of  his  Lord,  he  addressed  his  "dear  breth- 
ren and  sisters,"  and  told  them  that  for  twenty  years 
he  had  believed  and  taught  the  same  doctrine  that  Wal- 
thall and  Abell  were  teaching,  and  asked  if  there  was 
any  reason  why  he  should  refuse  to  fellowship  them  at 
the  Lord's  table. 

The  awful  silence  that  pervaded  the  old  church  was 
ominous.  It  was  the  supreme  moment  of  his  life,  and 
he  knew  it.  He  had  put  his  hand  to  the  plow  and  did 
not  look  back,  although  he  read  his  sentence  in  the  sea 
of  faces  before  him.  The  tension  of  that  silence  could 
last  but  a  moment.     In  the  wild  confusion  and  general 


Benjamin  Creel  215 

excitement  that  followed,  he  stood,  tall,  grand,  impos- 
ing, and  immovable,  as  if  chiseled  from  the  granite 
rock.  Perhaps  his  calm  self-possession  saved  the  dis- 
grace of  a  riot  in  the  house  of  God 

Above  the  low,  angry  murmurings  of  the  swaying 
crowd  arose  loud,  angry  denunciations  and  false  accu- 
sations. He  realized  his  position,  and  his  very  bearing 
was  as  oil  upon  the  troubled  waters;  but  his  Baptist 
brethren  were  determined  upon  the  proscription  of  this 
' '  new-born  Campbellite. ' ' 

He  was  arraigned  before  Pleasant  Grove  Church 
and  his  course  denounced.  Bible  in  hand,  he  calmly 
made  his  defence,  dealing  sledgehammer  blows  from 
the  Word  of  Truth.  Every  proposition  he  laid  down 
he  asked  them,  ''Is  that  right,  or  is  it  not?  If  not, 
speak  out. "  But  they  could  make  no  reply.  He  stood 
upon  the  bedrock  of  truth.  They  could  separate  him 
from  their  fellowship,  but  they  could  not  separate  him 
from  the  truth.  In  his  preaching  or  his  views  there 
was  little  if  any  change.      Bro.  Abell  wrote  of  him: 

''Bro.  Creel  is  indeed  and  in  truth  a  Nathanael  of  a 
man,  an  Israelite  in  whom  there  is  no  guile.  Nor  does 
he  put  on  his  silk  or  kid  or  velvet  gloves  to  do  his 
work,  nor  has  he  learned  to  'daub  with  untempered 
mortar,'  but  with  merciless  hands  he  raises  the  pon- 
derous sledge,  which  falls  with  mighty  force  upon  the 
stones  of  error,  which  crumble  beneath  the  mighty 
blow.  Bro.  Creel  is  among  the  very  few  men  with 
whom  I  have  met  who,  unaided  by  any  earthly  guide, 
but  directed  by  the  light  of  heaven,  discovered  from 
the  Word  of  God  that  baptism  to  the  believing  penitent 
is   'for  the  remission  of  sins.'      This  doctrine  for  a 


216  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

number  of  years  he  preached  among  the  Baptist 
fraternity,  where  he  would  have  been  now,  w^ith  many 
other  faithful,  honest-hearted  men,  if  he,  with  them, 
had  only  been  permitted  untrammeled  to  declare  the 
'whole  counsel  of  God'  as  proclaimed  by  the  Apostles 
and  evangelists." 

Many  members  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  the  section 
where  he  preached  followed  Bro.  Creel,  and  Rochelle 
Church,  in  Madison  county,  was  soon  organized  with 
twenty-three  members.  While  they  were  building  a 
place  of  worship  he  preached  in  private  houses.  He 
served  this  church  as  pastor  until  he  was  eighty  years 
old,  when  he  resigned  as  pastor,  but  continued  to  preach 
occasionally  for  six  or  seven  years  longer,  and  after 
that  conducted  several  funerals. 

Bro.  Creel  was  a  very  witty  man,  and  never  to  be  sur- 
passed in  a  joke.  Often,  after  preaching,  some  of  his 
Baptist  brethren  would  tell  him  that  he  had  preached 
a  "good  Campbellite  sermon."  His  answer  was,  "I 
preach  the  Bible;  I  don't  know  what  Campbellites  are. " 

The  evening  of  his  life  was  spent  peacefully  and  hap- 
pily in  the  bosom  of  his  family  and  in  visiting  among 
his  children  and  grandchildren. 

He  died  in  1899  at  the  ripe  age  of  ninety-six  years 
and  three  days.  His  work  lives  and  will  live  for  years 
to  come. 


ELDER  JOHN  CURTIS. 

Elder  John  Curtis,  son  of  Edmund  and  Ann  Curtis, 
was  born  in  York  county,  Virginia,  May  15,  1801.  As 
a  boy  he  was  not  fond  of  books,  and  although  possessed 
of  some  property,  his  early  education  was  neglected. 
As  a  young  man  he  was  active  and  gay,  mingled  much 
in  society,  and  was  fond  of  outdoor  sports,  espe- 
cially the  fox  hunt  and  the  deer  chase.  But  though  es- 
sentially a  man  of  the  world,  he  enjoyed  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.  On  the  18th  of  De- 
cember, 1823,  he  married  Miss  Virginia  E.  Goodwin, 
and  by  the  uniting  of  their  means  and  property  they 
had  enough  to  keep  them  from  fear  of  want.  They 
loved  company  and  the  pleasures  of  social  life,  and  hav- 
ing the  means  to  gratify  their  desires,  they  indulged 
themselves.  He  was  possessed  of  a  fine,  manly  form 
and  gentlemanly  bearing,  a  typical  Virginia  gentleman, 
and  she  was  considered  beautiful;  hence  their  home 
was  very  popular. 

In  July,  1827,  Elder  Peter  Ainslie  began  a  protracted 
meeting  at  Grafton  Church.  People  came  from  far  and 
near  to  hear  the  word  of  life.  The  whole  church  con- 
tinued in  prayer,  praise  and  thanksgiving.  Those  who 
had  left  their  first  love  returned,  and  all  the  members 
were  alive  to  their  opportunities.  The  immediate  re- 
sults of  the  meeting  were  the  confession  and  baptism 
of  fifty-two  willing  souls,  Bro.  Curtis  being  one  of  the 
number. 


218  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

From  the  day  when  Bro.  Curtis  united  with  Grafton 
Church  the  change  in  him  was  noticed  by  all,  and 
his  brethren  looked  up  to  him  as  a  leader.  His  soul 
longed  for  the  fullness  of  the  blessings  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  he  saw  the  barrenness  of  his  life.  He  longed 
for  knowledge,  and  applied  himself  to  the  improvement 
of  his  education,  studying  the  Bible  meantime.  He 
soon  began  to  pray  in  public,  then  to  read,  and  finally 
to  speak.  His  speech,  as  he  often  said,  was  ''of  his  own 
ignorance,  and  of  the  love  of  God  that  passeth  all  un- 
derstanding."  In  1829  he  was  made  a  deacon,  and  in 
1830  was  ordained  a  minister  of  the  Gospel.  He  was 
a  devout  man  and  full  of  faith,  loving  God  and  fearing 
no  man.  In  the  pulpit  he  never  toned  down  the  Word 
to  suit  the  delinquencies  of  his  hearers,  but  shunned 
not  to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  He  was  a 
strong  man,  fluent  in  speech  and  untiring  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord.  He  always  commanded  good  audiences 
and  close  attention  at  his  home  church,  and  when  visit- 
ing other  churches  his  hearers  never  went  away  un- 
satisfied or  disappointed.  Had  he  improved  his  early 
advantages  in  educating  himself  few  men  would  have 
surpassed  him  in  the  pulpit.  None  could  more  thor- 
oughly realize  the  result  of  this  early  neglect  than  did 
he,  and  he  made  every  effort  to  atone  for  it.  He  was 
gifted  in  polemics,  and  in  the  course  of  his  latter  years 
held  two  debates  upon  religious  subjects.  In  the  first 
of  these  he  gained  much  for  the  cause  of  truth.  In  the 
midst  of  the  last  debate  he  passed  from  this  world.  He 
had  long  been  a  sufferer  from  heart  disease,  especially  if 


Elder  John  Curtis  219 

he  exerted  himself.  On  this  account  many  of  his  friends 
were  opposed  to  his  engaging  in  the  debate.  But  the 
advocacy  of  the  truth  was  dearer  to  him  than  Ufe  and 
health.  He  commenced  his  first  speech  in  this  debate 
in  Grafton  pulpit,  and  after  speaking  a  short  time 
stopped,  took  his  seat,  and  in  a  few  minutes  breathed 
his  last.  This  took  place  on  the  29th  day  of  October, 
1844. 


ELDER  JOHN   DANGERFIELD. 

This  pioneer  preacher  was  a  native  of  Essex  county, 
Virginia.  He  was  born  in  the  year  1800,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Tappahannock,  and  remained  in  the  county  during 
his  minority.  His  father  was  a  man  of  means,  and  he 
was  given  a  Hberal  education  and  admitted  to  prac- 
tice at  the  bar.  Being  a  young  man  of  good  education, 
pleasing  address,  a  thorough  gentleman,  and  hand- 
some in  personal  appearance,  he  was  naturally  a 
favorite,  and  regarded  as  a  prize  by  the  fair  daughters 
of  Essex.  But,  with  all  these  social  qvialifications, 
Mr.  Dangerfield  was  noted  for  his  sobriety  and  the 
care  with  which  he  chose  his  associations.  The  fast 
young  man  and  the  gentleman  of  pleasure  were  not 
numbered  among  his  intimates;  hence  that  class 
regarded  him  as  proud  and  exclusive. 

In  1820  he  married  Miss  Judith  Braxton,  a  highly 
accomplished  young  lady,  and  a  descendant  of  Car- 
ter Braxton,  whose  name  is  immortalized  as  one  of 
the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 
After  his  marriage  Mr.  Dangerfield  moved  to  King 
and  Queen  county,  where  he  acquired  a  considerable 
law  practice  in  the  courts  of  the  adjacent  counties. 
In  1825  he  became  interested  in  his  soul's  wel- 
fare, and  obeyed  the  Lord  in  baptism,  uniting  with 
the  Glebe  Landing  Baptist  Church.  After  this  the 
practice  of  law  lost  whatever  charms  it  may  have 
had  for  him  before,  and  he  soon  after  decided  to  enter 
the    ministry.     As    a    lawyer,    he    had    persistently 


Elder  John  Danger  field  221 

refused  to  undertake  all  cases  of  doubtful  propriety. 
This  course  had  lost  him  many  a  plump  fee,  but  secured 
for  him  a  clear  conscience  and  the  confidence  of  honest 
and  good  men.  The  joys  that  he  became  a  partaker 
of  when  he  put  on  Christ  he  desired  to  impart  to 
others,  so  he  gradually  withdrew  from  his  law  practice. 
He  moved  to  Mathews  county  and  taught  school, 
occasionally  conducting  a  case  before  the  county 
court.  Here  his  work  in  the  church  was  so  highly 
valued,  that  they  soon  extended  to  him  a  call  to  be- 
come its  pastor.  The  invitation  was  accepted,  and 
he  soon  had  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  whole 
community.  Through  his  ministry  the  Church  took 
on  new  life  and  numbers  were  added  to  the  saved.  He 
was  a  thorough  Bible  student  and  fond  of  the  old 
landmarks  of  the  primitive  Gospel.  His  mottoes 
were,  ''How  readest  thou?"  ''What  saith  the  Word?" 
"To  the  law  and  the  testimony." 

There  were  certain  members  of  this  Baptist  Church 
who  loved  the  landmarks  of  Baptistism  better  than 
those  of  the  pure  Gospel.  They  worshipped  with  the 
face  turned  toward  Philadelphia,  instead  of  toward 
Jerusalem.  The  Philadelphia  Confession  was  of  more 
authority  to  them  than  the  teaching  of  Christ  and  his 
Apostles.  This  spirit  was  the  cause  of  internal  dis- 
sensions, as  many  of  the  members  showed  much  zeal 
in  opposing  a  restoration  of  the  ancient  order  of  things. 
They  either  could  not  or  would  not  see  the  scriptural- 
ness  of  the  plea  that  Bro.  Dangerfield  was  presenting, 
and  misrepresented  the  teaching  of  their  pastor  and 
his  fellow-reformers.     As  in  ancient  times,  they  stopped 


222  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

up  their  ears  and  filled  the  air  with  theological 
bone-dust.  In  these  latter  days  they  try  to  tell  us 
that  we  have  changed  much  and  have  returned  to 
an  evangelical  faith.  Little  do  they  realize  that  what 
their  forefathers  knew  as  ' '  Campbellism "  was  not  the 
sentiments  or  views  of  Mr.  Campbell,  but  it  was  the 
views  imputed  to  him  and  his  co-laborers  by  their 
enemies. 

In  1833,  the  year  after  the  Dover  Decree  was 
passed,  the  Dover  Association  met  at  Williamsburg. 
Here  a  great  effort  was  made  to  have  the  Decree  of 
the  previous  year  either  modified  or  rescinded.  Some 
peculiar  measures  were  adopted  by  the  authorities  to 
maintain  their  control  of  matters,  for  a  fuller  account 
of  which  see  Chapter  VI.  of  our  Historical  Sketch. 
The  Mathews  Church,  being  under  the  pastoral  care 
of  Elder  Dangerfield,  was  looked  upon  with  suspicion 
and  her  letter  laid  aside  unread  until  the  Association 
could  be  formed  from  the  orthodox  members  present. 
After  her  letter  was  opened  and  found  to  remonstrate, 
with  others,  against  the  Decree,  a  committee,  composed 
of  Dr.  Jeter,  S.  Jones  and  Mr.  Northam,  was  ap- 
pointed to  visit  the  Church.  Had  the  Association 
lived  up  to  the  letter  of  their  Decree,  they  would 
have  been  obliged  to  exclude  the  Mathews  Church 
from  membership  in  the  Association,  as  Bro.  Dan- 
gerfield had  been  preaching  the  doctrine  of  the 
reformation,  and  the  members  were  not,  as  a  whole, 
opposed  to  it.  The  committee  above  named  visited 
them  and  preached  for  several  days,  and,  all  things 
considered,    had    a    good    meeting.      But    the    chief 


Elder  John  Dangerfield  223 

object  of  their  visit,  namely,  to  save  Elder  Danger- 
field  and  his  adherents,  as  also  the  church  house,  was 
a  failure.  A  large  majority  of  the  congregation  were  in 
sympathy  with  the  views  of  their  pastor.  Accordingly, 
they  let  matters  stand  without  taking  any  decisive 
steps  until  1835,  when  another  committee,  consisting 
of  Messrs.  Todd,  Ball,  Goodall  and  Northam,  met  with 
the  Church  and  continued  in  a  meeting  for  several 
days.  At  this  meeting,  by  div^erse  means,  members 
whose  claims  to  church  membership  consisted  only 
in  having  their  names  on  the  church  book  were  present. 
At  a  certain  time,  when  it  chanced  that  a  majority  of 
these  disaffected  ones  were  present,  a  resolution  was 
introduced  and  passed  excluding  all  the  members 
who  had  avowed  the  sentiments  of  Mr.  Campbell, 
and  among  the  excluded  was  Bro.  Dangerfield,  the 
minister  of  the  Church.  This  sharp  action,  which 
would  have  done  credit  to  the  shrewdness  of  a  ward 
politician,  left  the  meeting-house  in  the  hands  of  the 
self-styled  orthodox. 

It  did  not,  however,  hinder  the  work  of  reformation. 
The  excluded  members  soon  organized  themselves 
into  a  congregation  and  began  meeting  in  the  court- 
house. Shortly  after  this  they  built  the  meeting- 
house known  by  the  name  of  Ephesus.  Brother 
Dangerfield  continued  preaching  for  them  for  many 
years  with  much  success  and  acceptance.  All  who 
knew  him  loved,  respected  and  revered  him.  He 
lost  his  beloved  wife  during  these  troublous  times. 


224  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Brother  Dangerfield  came  to  an  untimely  end  by 
being  thrown  from  his  sulky  against  a  tree,  while  on 
his  way  from  the  courthouse  to  his  home. 

He  was  a  good  preacher.  His  language  was  as  pure 
and  chaste  as  his  thoughts  were  holy  and  good.  His 
preaching  was  argumentative — always  clear  and  easily 
comprehended.  He  was  regarded  as  a  holy  man  and  a 
standard-bearer  of  the  Cross  throughout  his  community. 


DR.  JOHN  DU  VAL. 

Dr.  Du  Val  was  the  fifth  child  of  WilUam  and  Mary 
Du  Val,  and  was  born  in  Gloucester  county,  Virginia, 
May  21,  1795.  His  ancestors  on  his  father's  side 
were  Huguenots,  and  on  his  mother's  side  English. 
Both  his  parents  were  Episcopalians.  At  one  time 
his  father  had  large  possessions,  but  he  became  in- 
volved, and  was  deprived  of  the  means  to  educate 
his  youngest  children  to  the  same  extent  he  had  the 
older  ones.  John,  however,  was  sent  to  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  graduated  M.  D. 
His  father  and  mother  died  before  he  was  nineteen, 
and  in  the  year  1814  he  was  called  into  the  army, 
where  he  served  for  six  months  in  the  ranks. 

On  November  14,  1819,  he  was  married  by  Elder 
R.  B.  Semple  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Pendleton,  of  King  and 
Queen  county.  They  were  both  of  a  religious  dis- 
position, but  knew  not  what  God  required  of  them. 
They  felt  it  their  duty  to  love  and  serve  God,  but  how 
to  become  his  child  they  knew  not.  This  was  often 
the  subject  of  their  conversation,  but,  as  they  were 
young,  they  concluded  not  to  be  in  any  haste  about 
the  matter.  The  death  of  their  children  caused  them 
to  decide  to  serve  the  Lord,  but  now  the  old  question 
''how?  "came  back  with  all  its  force.  They  studied 
the  Scriptures,  and  even  prayed  for  help  from  God, 
and,  after  many  doubts  and  fears,  resolved  to  unite 
with  the  people  of  God.  On  November  28,  1824, 
they  were  both  baptized  by  Elder  Wm.  Todd,  and 
15 


226  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

united  with  the  Lower  King  and  Queen  Baptist  Church. 
Brother  Du  Val  soon  began  to  exercise  his  gifts  as  a 
speaker  in  the  church.  He  was  regarded  as  a  promis- 
ing man  in  the  church,  as  a  chosen  vessel  who  would 
one  day  proclaim  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ. 
What  constituted  a  '^call  to  preach"  was  much  dis- 
cussed in  those  days.  Dr.  Du  Val  gave  his  opinion 
on  this  question  in  the  following  well  chosen  words: 
''I  would  say  that  a  Gospel  call  is  four-fold,  to  wit: 
Regeneration,  inclination,  approbation  of  God's  word, 
and  the  voice  of  the  people  of  God." 

After  passing  an  examination,  he  was  on  the  first 
Lord's  Day  in  October,  1827,  ordained  to  the  ministry 
by  prayer,  fasting,  and  the  laying  on  of  hands.  He 
rapidly  became  very  popular  as  a  preacher.  About 
this  time,  Bishop  Semple,  who  was  then  minister  of 
Bruington  Church,  one  of  the  largest,  most  influential, 
and  wealthy  Baptist  churches  in  Eastern  Virginia, 
resigned  to  go  to  Washington.  Brother  Du  Val  was 
called  to  take  charge  of  this  church  and  accepted. 

Brother  Du  Val  was  just  becoming  interested  in  the 
movement  headed  by  Mr.  Campbell  when  he  took 
charge  of  the  Bruington  Church.  His  preaching 
rapidly  became  more  scriptural.  Some  of  the  members 
became  loud  in  their  denunciation  of  what  the}^  termed 
"reform  principles."  On  one  occasion,  after  he  had 
clearly  presented  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  con- 
version as  being  performed  through  the  Word,  he  called 
on  an  old  brother,  Josiah  Ryland,  Sr.,  to  pray.  The 
old  man  prayed  that  the  church  might  be  delivered 
from  such  heresy  as  had  been  preached  from  the  pulpit 
that  day. 


Dr.  John  Du  Val  227 

Such  a  church  as  Bruington  could  not  long  endure 
the  teaching  of  Dr.  Du  Val.  It  was  a  leading  church 
and  was  looked  up  to  by  all  the  churches  in  the  Dover 
Association,  and  could  not  well  listen  to  and  support 
as  minister  one  who  was  noted  as  a  leading  reformer. 
Brother  Du  Val  was  ordered  to  appear  before  the 
church  to  answer  the  following  charges: 

1.  Innovation. 

2.  The  denial  of  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  conversion. 

3.  Baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins. 

Bishop  Semple  presided.  The  chief  speakers  on 
the  part  of  the  Baptists  were  Andrew  Broaddus, 
Josiah  Ryland,  and  A.  Brown.  Dr.  Du  Val  stood  alone 
for  a  restoration  of  the  ancient  Gospel.  When  the 
debate,  or  trial,  was  over  and  the  vote  of  the  Church 
taken,  the  Doctor  was  found  guilty  of  the  charges, 
by  a  majority  of  one.  It  was  Mr.  Semple's  personal 
influence  that  gained  for  his  party  the  victory. 

Immediately  following  this,  Mr.  Semple  returned 
from  Washington,  and  resumed  charge  of  Bruington 
Church.  Brother  Du  Val  continued  preaching  to  the 
disciples  at  Mangohick  and  at  other  points.  In  1830 
Bishop  Semple  and  Andrew  Broaddus  called  a  con- 
vention of  eight  churches  and  adopted  what  was 
afterward  known  as  the  Semple  and  Broaddus  Decrees. 
In  bringing  these  decrees  before  Bruington  Church  for 
their  acceptance,  as  related  in  Chapter  IV.  of  our  His- 
torical Sketch,  Dr.  Du  Val  was  the  main  speaker  in 
opposition  to  them,  and  they  were  rejected.  This 
was  their  deathblow  and  a  severe  rebuke  to  Bishop 
Semple. 


228  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Brother  Du  Val  used  often  to  preach  in  the  private 
home  of  a  Mr.  Valentine.  On  one  occasion,  he  had 
gone  thither  to  conduct  a  funeral,  and  during  his  stay 
eight  confessed  Christ.  Notice  was  given  out  that  they 
would  be  baptized  in  what  was  known  as  ''Campbell's 
Pond"  on  a  certain  day  and  hour.  At  the  appointed 
time  a  large  congregation  had  assembled  to  witness 
the  ceremony.  All  the  candidates  were  present,  but 
Dr.  Du  Val  did  not  appear,  and  no  one  could  account 
for  his  absence.  The  brethren  present  were  anxious 
that  the  baptism  take  place.  R.  B.  Semple  had 
preached  at  the  Church  that  day,  and  had  gone  to  dine 
with  a  Baptist  brother  near  by.  One  of  their  number 
was  selected  to  go  and  see  if  Bishop  Semple  would 
come  and  perform  the  ceremony.  Accordingly,  the 
Bishop  was  informed  of  the  difficulty,  and  as  extra 
inducement,  was  told  that  only  eight  were  to  be  bap- 
tized. The  amiable  Bishop  seemed  pleased  at  the 
request,  and  smilingly  answered:  ''Only  eight? — just 
the  number  saved  in  the  Ark.  Now  they  want  to  be 
saved,  as  the  Apostle  Peter  said,  by  baptism.  Go? 
Yes;  and  if  you  had  a  hundred  I  would  go  and  bap- 
tize them.  Come,  Bro.  Elliot,  (the  name  of  his  host,) 
let  us  start  and  tarry  not." 

He  was  soon  there,  and  performed  the  ceremony  as 
the  Apostles  of  old,  without  ever  asking  a  single 
question  of  any  of  them,  he  having  been  informed 
that  all  had  made  the  good  confession. 

From  the  day  he  bade  adieu  to  Bruington  Church 
to  the  time  of  his  death,  Brother  Du  Val's  life  became 
one  long  day  of  labor.     He  had  regular  appointments 


Dr.  John  Du  Val  229 

for  every  Lord's  Day,  besides  attending  to  many 
protracted  meetings,  when  in  his  power  to  do  so. 
Added  to  this,  he  had  a  medical  practice  seldom 
equalled  in  his  section.  He  was  a  man  of  untiring 
energy  and  an  excellent  speaker.  He  was  gifted  in 
oratory,  and  could  easily  bring  his  audience  either  to 
laughter  or  to  tears,  as  he  willed. 

He  was  particularly  happy  in  speaking  of  the  bap- 
tism of  Jesus — the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
form  of  a  dove — the  interview  Jesus  had  with  Moses 
and  Elijah — the  lamentation  of  Jesus  over  Jerusalem — 
Jesus  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane — his  death  upon 
the  Cross — his  resurrection,  and  such  like  themes. 
About  1831  or  1832  he  commenced  holding  meetings 
in  an  old  house  on  the  farm  of  Brother  Philip  B.  Pen- 
dleton, and  when  the  weather  would  permit,  they  had 
meetings  in  a  grove  close  by.  From  these  meetings 
in  a  short  time  sprang  Smyrna  Church,  and  for  this 
church  Bro.  Du  Val  continued  to  labor  for  many 
years.  During  his  later  life  he  preached  for  Rap- 
pahannock and  Acquinton  Churches  also,  and  was 
largely  instrumental  in  building  Jerusalem  Church, 
which  he  also  named. 

In  the  fall  of  1832  he  lost  his  wife.  In  the  family 
register,  in  his  own  handwriting,  are  these  words: 
*'Mary  Ann  DuVal,  died  about  8  o'clock,  P.  AL,  Satur- 
day, 17th  November,  1832,  in  the  full  triumph  of 
faith  and  'assurance  of  hope'  in  her  final  acceptance 
with  God.  Thanks  to  his  unspeakable  kindness 
in  granting  her  this  victory.  Amen."  She  left  three 
children — two  daughters  and  one  son;  the  latter. 
Dr.  P.  P.  Du  Val,  is  still  living  in  Richmond,  Virginia, 


230  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

and  finds  time  amid  his  professional  duties,  as  did 
his  father,  to  preach  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.* 

Brother  Du  Val  was  married  again  in  December, 
1834,  to  Miss  Mildred  R.  Downer,  of  Caroline  county. 
She  was  an  accomplished  woman  and  a  great  help  to 
him  in  his  later  life. 

In  1850  he  became  involved  in  a  difficulty  with  the 
elders  of  Smyrna  Church.  A  lady  who  had  been 
immersed  by  an  unimmersed  minister  of  the  Methodist 
Church  desired  to  unite  with  Smyrna  congregation. 
Brother  Du  Val  claimed  that  she  had  not  been  scrip- 
turally  baptized,  inasmuch  as  he  who  had  adminis- 
tered the  rite  had  not  been  qualified  by  immersion  to 
perform  it  upon  another.  The  elders  of  Smyrna 
disagreed  with  him  in  the  matter.  Bro.  Du  Val  wrote 
an  article  for  the  Harbinger,  asking  Bro.  W.  K.  Pendle- 
ton for  his  opinion.  The  opinion  of  the  latter  was 
unfavorable  to  the  position  taken  by  Dr.  Du  Val,  but 
did  not  change  him.  In  1853  he  sold  his  place  in 
King  and  Queen  and  moved  to  Petersburg.  Here 
at  his  own  cost  he  established  a  place  for  preaching, 
but  not  succeeding  so  well  as  he  expected  he  finally 
sold  this  meeting-house  and  extended  his  field  of  labor 
to  the  counties  of  Prince  Edward,  Lunenburg,  Char- 
lotte, and  Amelia,  all  in  the  Southeastern  part  of 
the  State.  In  this  field  he  labored  incessantly  till 
the  end  of  his  hfe. 

In  the  summer  of  1859  he  was  called  on  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  his  second  wife,  who  left  two  daughters.     Three 


♦Since  this  account  was  written  Dr.  P.  P.  Du  Val  has  passed  to  his  reward. 


Dr.  John  Du  Val  231 

years  after  her  death  he  wrote  of  her:  ''The  many 
years  of  happiness  which  she  most  richly  contributed 
to  my  mind  and  heart,  are  still  deeply  engraven  on  my 
memory." 

Brother  Du  Val  was  in  feeble  health  for  some  time 
preceding  his  last  illness.  He  was  taken  sick  with 
congestion  of  the  lungs  on  the  fourth  of  December, 
1863,  and  continued  to  fail  till  the  twenty-fourth,  when 
he  breathed  his  last.  His  last  words  were,  "I  am 
blind — I  cannot  see."  And  who  shall  say  that  the 
dazzling  light  of  the  city  of  God  was  not  shining  on  the 
dying  eyes  of  the  faithful  soldier  of  the  Cross,  so  as 
to  blind  his  natural  eyes  with  its  intense  brightness, 
while  his  eye  of  faith  looked  with  undimmed  lustre 
upon  the  ''Resurrection  and  the  Life." 


JAMES  W.   GOSS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Albemarle 
countV;  Virginia,  December  29,  1812.  He  was  the 
third  child,  but  the  first  son,  of  Elder  John  Goss,  and 
his  mother's  maiden  name  was  Jane  Walker.  His 
father  was  a  pious  man,  a  minister  in  the  Baptist 
church.  He  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  and  was  gathered 
home  only  after  he  had  witnessed  the  rising  usefulness 
of  his  son  James. 

The  early  education  of  James  was  under  the  imme- 
diate supervision  of  his  father.  While  Jam^es  was  re- 
ceiving knowledge  concerning  the  use  of  the  English 
language  he  was  also  receiving  the  gentler  lessons  of 
Christian  faith  and  love  for  Him  who  took  little  children 
in  His  arms  and  blessed  them.  He  was  finally  sent  to 
a  classical  school  in  the  neighborhood  for  a  year  or  two, 
but  this  plan  was  superseded  by  the  employment  of  a 
teacher  in  the  family.  In  this  way  the  children  received 
that  most  essential  part  of  all  education,  home  influ- 
ences. After  some  years  of  this  home  education,  James 
was  sent  to  Charlottesville,  where  he  had  increased 
facilities  for  the  development  of  his  inquisitive  mind, 
thus  acquiring  those  qualities  which  afterward  distin- 
guished him.  It  was  during  this  period  of  his  life  that 
he  determined  to  study  medicine.  He  commenced 
this  study  under  a  preceptor,  and  in  due  time  entered 
the  University  of  Virginia.  God,  however,  had  mapped 
out  his  life  differently.  He  had  always  been  religiously 
inclined.     His  daily  prayers  were  not  allowed  to  be 


James  W.  Goss  233 

crowded  out  by  his  studies.  His  belief  in  God  was  co- 
etaneous  with  the  recollection  of  his  father.  It  was 
not  strange,  therefore,  that  in  the  sixteenth  year  of  his 
age,  while  at  home  from  college,  he  made  the  good  con- 
fession and  was  buried  with  his  Lord  in  baptism.  He 
was  baptized  by  Elder  Gilbert  Mason,  a  young  Baptist 
minister  previously  mentioned  in  the  sketch  of  R.  L. 
Coleman.  Mr.  Mason  was  at  this  time  making  his 
home  with  Elder  Goss,  where  he  was  prosecuting  his 
studies  and  preaching  under  the  fostering  care  of  that 
good  man.  If  all  young  preachers  were  to  do  this,  thus 
following  the  Scriptural  examples  of  Timothy,  Silas, 
and  others,  it  might  be  the  means  of  saving  them  from 
many  perplexities  and  bitter  regrets  in  after  life.  Bro. 
Goss  connected  himself  with  the  Priddy's  Creek  Baptist 
Church,  of  which  his  father  was  minister;  and,  though 
very  retiring,  and  modest  to  a  fault,  the  brethren  soon 
took  notice  of  his  deep-toned  piety  and  unwavering 
fidelity,  and  induced  him  to  take  part  in  the  prayer- 
meetings.  At  the  opening  of  the  next  session  of  the 
University  he  returned  to  Charlottesville.  Finding  no 
Baptist  Church  there,  and  but  a  handful  of  members, 
he  and  a  younger  brother  in  the  faith  began  holding 
weekly  prayer-meetings.  These  were  first  held  in  pri- 
vate houses,  but  as  the  attendance  increased  a  hall  was 
rented  for  the  purpose.  At  these  meetings  James  was 
the  chief  speaker,  and  soon  overcame  his  diffidence.  It 
was  not  long  till  some  began  to  show  an  interest  in  their 
soul's  salvation,  several  professed  the  power  of  the 
truth,  and  Elder  John  Goss  was  sent  for  to  baptize 
them.     He  and  Porter  Cleveland,  a  Baptist  preacher 


234  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

of  that  section,  soon  established  a  regular  monthly 
meeting  at  Charlottesville,  and  in  August,  1831,  a 
church  was  organized  with  thirty-one  members.  This 
membership  was  soon  doubled  by  a  meeting  held  by 
Gilbert  Mason  and  R.  L.  Coleman,  and  in  May,  1831, 
R.  L.  Coleman  was  ordained  as  minister  by  Elders  Porter 
Cleveland  and  John  Goss.  The  demands  of  the  cause, 
the  anxious  solicitude  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  his  sense 
of  duty  soon  called  James  Goss  forth  to  a  more  active 
rehgious  Hfe.  On  the  22nd  day  of  February,  1832,  he 
was  licensed  by  the  Church  at  Charlottesville  to  preach, 
and  was  publicly  ordained  on  the  7th  day  of  August  of 
the  same  year,  it  being  the  twentieth  year  of  his  age. 
Elder  Welch,  a  traveling  agent  for  the  Sunday-school 
Union,  assisted  in  the  services.  His  field  of  usefulness 
was  now  enlarged,  and  repeated  demands  on  his  time 
w^ere  made  by  churches  in  the  neighboring  country. 
His  modest  and  retiring  disposition  only  led  him  to  be 
the  more  sought  after,  and  he  soon  found  himself  not 
only  the  right-hand  supporter  of  Bro.  Coleman  at  Char- 
lottesville, but  also  rather  a  leader  in  the  evangelistic 
efforts  in  the  county. 

Bro.  Goss  was  married  on  the  29th  of  September, 
1835,  to  Miss  Jane  Ashley  Grigsby,  the  only  daughter 
of  Joseph  and  Mary  Ashley  Grigsby,  of  Rockbridge 
county,  Virginia.  The  youthful  Goss  now  settled  in 
Charlottesville  wdth  the  loving  wife  of  his  choice,  who 
in  that  endearing  relationship  was  in  every  respect  the 
solace  of  his  heart. 

Much  depends  upon  the  choice  of  a  wife,  and  es- 
pecially of  a  preacher's  wife.     A  preacher's  wife  is  not  a 


James  W.  Goss  235 

private  woman;  she  is  obliged  to  be  known  personally, 
intellectually,  socially  and  religiously;  she  must  soon 
learn  to  pass  unheeded  the  expressions  of  admiration 
of  friends  and  the  condemnation  of  enemies.  If  not,  her 
life  will  be  embittered  by  melancholy  and  chagrin  on  the 
one  side,  or  disgusted  by  the  absence  of  a  meek  and 
gentle  spirit  on  the  other.  In  the  language  of  common 
parlance.  Sister  Goss  seems  to  have  been  born  a 
preacher's  wife!  Gentle  as  the  dew,  diffusing  an  easy 
grace  and  dignity  throughout  her  household,  and  as 
firm  as  the  granite  of  her  Piedmont  home,  she  imparted 
an  impetus  to  the  already  deep  piety  of  her  husband, 
and  added  zeal  to  the  cause  that  was  so  dear  to  his  soul. 

After  his  marriage  Bro.  Goss  settled  in  Charlottes- 
ville and  started  an  apothecary  store  in  connection 
with  Dr.  John  W.  Field.  His  place  was  always  filled 
at  church,  and  he  never  suffered  his  business  to  inter- 
fere with  his  religious  engagements.  As  time  rolled  on 
he  gathered  strength  from  his  experience,  and  increased 
in  favor  with  the  brethren  of  his  faith  and  order,  while 
persons  of  the  world  pressed  to  hear  him  because  of  his 
pulpit  eloquence.  An  educated  Roman  Catholic  lady 
once  remarked  that  while  she  had  no  special  partiality 
for  Mr.  Goss'  religious  faith,  she  regarded  it  a  privilege 
to  Hsten  to  his  chaste  and  eloquent  pulpit  exercises. 
This  was  the  general  feeling  of  his  religious  opponents. 

When  we  consider  the  order  of  his  mind,  the  deep- 
toned  piety  and  veneration  in  which  he  held  the  Word 
of  God,  we  are  not  surprised  that  he  was  early  a  reader 
of  the  published  works  of  Mr.  Campbell.  In  these 
writings  he  found  a  counterpart  to  his  own  religious 


236  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

training  in  mind  and  heart.  The  truth  was  dearer  to 
him  than  the  cherished  love  of  fond  brethren.  To 
know  the  truth  and  to  obey  it  was  his  highest  aspiration, 
hence  he  read  with  prayerful  care  these  works,  and 
compared  every  position  and  proof  text  with  the  Scrip- 
tures. His  wife  was  not  a  stranger  to  his  researches, 
his  anxieties  of  mind,  or  the  workings  of  his  own  heart 
during  that  period.  Her  loving  heart  and  quick  in- 
tuition threw  many  a  cheering  beam  upon  his  otherwise 
checkered  pathway.  Before  him,  in  the  near  distance, 
as  through  a  glass  darkly,  he  could  see  fields  of  living 
light,  but  at  the  same  time,  through  dimmed  and  un- 
faithful lenses  made  by  the  hands  of  human  nature,  he 
could  see  smiles  of  cheer  turned  to  scowling  frowns, 
and,  in  place  of  the  hand  of  affection,  the  back  of  scorn. 
The  two  had  to  be  weighed  in  the  balances  of  respon- 
sibility to  God.  Jerusalem  or  Geneva — the  ''Word  of 
the  Lord"  of  the  former,  or  the  Calvinistic  frigidity  of 
the  latter,  was  the  question.  If  he  chose  the  latter,  the 
smiles  of  affection  would  continue  to  greet  him  on  the 
streets  and  in  the  pulpits;  but  if  the  former,  fields  of 
living  light  would  disclose  to  him  beauteous  flowers 
bordering  his  pathway  to  the  right  hand  of  God.  No 
sooner  were  they  placed  in  the  balances  than  the  choice 
was  made.  On  the  next  Lord's  day  thereafter  he 
preached  ''the  Word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem,"  and 
for  many  Lord's  days  subsequently.  Many  a  heart  re- 
sponded to  the  mind-enlightening  and  soul-confirming 
doctrine  thus  developed,  but  the  prejudices  of  others 
were  as  deeply  seated  and  the  hostility  as  great  as  at 
any  time  or  place  since  the  Dover  Decree  was  passed. 


James  W.  Goss  237 

Some  of  the  more  intelligent  and  influential  of  the  Bap- 
tists of  Charlottesville  conscientioiisl}^  regarded  the 
views  advanced  by  Bro.  Goss  as  erroneous,  but  they 
wished  to  act  with  Christian  moderation  towards  their 
gifted  but  "erring"  brother,  and  suggested  many  ex- 
pedients for  his  reclamation.  Among  them  was  the 
policy  of  placing  him  in  charge  of  a  metropolitan  church, 
while  there  were  others,  of  Uttle  minds  and  less  hearts, 
who  advocated  immediate  excision.  But  he,  unse- 
duced  by  the  kind  compliments  of  the  former,  and  un- 
moved by  the  manifest  dislike  of  the  latter,  determined 
to  follow  out  the  conscientious  convictions  of  his  own 
mind  and  heart,  regardless  of  the  ecclesiastical  conse- 
quences. So,  on  the  15th  of  January,  1836,  the  church, 
after  some  days  consumed  in  discussing  the  questions 
at  issue  and  the  policy  of  excision,  decided,  by  a  ma- 
jority of  one,  to  separate  from  the  disciples  of  Christ. 
The  number  thus  separated  were  between  thirty  and 
forty.  The  prominent  actors  on  the  part  of  the  Bap- 
tists, as  to  preachers,  were  Elder  Robert  Ryland,  then 
chaplain  at  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  Mr.  Wm.  P. 
Farish,  at  that  time  a  licentiate,  and  subsequently  an 
ordained  Baptist  minister.  On  the  part  of  the  disci- 
ples were  Elders  R.  L.  Coleman  and  James  W.  Goss. 

Soon  after  the  separation  from  the  Baptist  Church 
the  disciples  organized  a  church  of  Christ,  and  Elder 
R.  L.  Coleman  became  its  minister.  Although  Bro.  Cole- 
man was  a  few^  years  older  than  James  Goss,  they  were 
both  young  men,  and  the  unity  of  their  work  and  in- 
terests induced  a  lifelong  friendship.  Together  they 
started  a  monthly  periodical  in  Charlottesville,  devoted 


238  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

to  the  cause  of  reformation.  The  first  number  was  pub- 
lished in  November,  1836,  but,  although  James  Goss' 
name  appeared  as  one  of  the  editors  in  the  prospectus, 
he  dechned  acting  as  such  until  1840.  In  1843  he  be- 
came sole  editor,  and  published  the  paper  for  two  years 
under  the  name  of  The  Christian  Intelligencer ,  when, 
moving  to  Orange,  he  ceased  to  be  its  editor.  This  was 
the  first  periodical  published  by  the  disciples  in  what 
now  constitutes  the  State  of  Virginia. 

James  W.  Goss  for  many  years  would  accept  of  no 
remuneration  for  his  services  in  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel. To  say  that  our  forefathers  made  no  mistakes  in 
their  efforts  to  restore  the  ancient  Gospel,  the  ancient 
order  of  things  in  the  churches,  would  be  to  say  they 
were  infallible.  This  mistake,  however,  was  a  natural 
one.  It  has  been  common  in  all  countries,  with  all  de- 
nominations, in  their  efforts  to  introduce  and  establis 
their  respective  pleas.  Were  it  not  for  this  self-sac- 
rifice of  our  forefathers  we  should  not  now  be  the  strong 
people  that  we  are.  However,  the  sooner  and  more 
thoroughly  we  understand  that  the  ''laborer  is  worthy 
of  his  hire, ''  and  appreciate  the  labors  of  our  forefathers 
as  a  gift  from  the  heart  to  a  great  cause  instead  of  a 
matter  of  necessity,  the  sooner  shall  we  enter  into  the 
fullness  of  things  that  God  has  prepared  for  us.  No 
religious  body  can  ever  amount  to  much  that  depends 
on  the  self-sacrifice  of  its  preachers  alone.  In  order  to 
enable  him  the  better  to  prosecute  his  work  in  the  min- 
istry, James  Goss  became  financially  interested  in  a 
drug  store  in  Richmond.  Failure  followed  through 
the  dishonesty  of  an  employee,  and  he  surrendered  all 


James  W.  Goss  239 

his  property  to  liquidate  the  debts  of  the  firm.  This 
misfortune  created  in  the  breasts  of  his  friends  and 
brethren  a  mingling  of  pleasure  and  sadness;  sadness 
because  of  his  loss,  but  pleasure  as  they  saw  the  devel- 
opment of  a  resignation  to  his  loss,  and  a  quiet  deter- 
mination to  look  unto  the  hills  from  whence  was  to 
come  his  help. 

James  W.  Goss  was  a  remarkable  man.  No  earthly 
misfortune  could  crush  his  spirit.  Though  this  dark 
wave  swept  his  fortune  from  his  hand  in  a  moment,  his 
conscious  rectitude  gave  him  a  firm  step  and  a  deter- 
mined security  that  called  forth  the  admiration  of  his 
fellows.  Misfortunes  do  not  spring  up  out  of  the 
ground;  they  are  frequently  in  mercy  sent.  ''Thy 
judgments  are  a  great  deep,"  saith  the  sweet  singer  of 
Israel,  and  in  these  judgments,  though  dark  and  frown- 
ing, God  hides  a  smiling  face.  The  loss  of  Elder  Goss' 
fortune  caused  him  to  change  many  of  the  currents  of 
his  thoughts.  It  gave  a  deeper  impress  to  his  piety  and 
threw  him  more  into  the  arms  of  his  loving  Heavenly 
Father.  He  saw  and  realized  how  evanescent  are  all 
things  here  below — that  change,  fluctuation  and  un- 
certainty were  enstamped  upon  all  earthly  things,  and 
that  there  is  nothing  sure  on  earth  but  the  Word  of 
God  and  its  fruits,  which  live  and  abide  forever.  He 
resolved  to  devote  more  of  his  time  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  but  he  could  not  do  this  without  receiving 
some  remuneration.  He  now  devoted  more  of  his  time 
than  ever  before  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and  re- 
ceived a  meagre  remuneration,  too  meagre  almost  to 
be  mentioned.     This  was  not  because  he  was  not  worthy 


240  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

of  better  consideration — far  from  it;  for  every  church 
that  engaged  his  ministry  regarded  it  a  great  and  a  rich 
treat  to  have  the  scintillations  of  his  well-stored  mind 
and  the  fruits  of  his  developed  piety. 

While  Elder  Goss  made  frequent  preaching  tours  in 
different  portions  of  the  State,  and  at  times  remained 
from  home  for  weeks,  he  preached  regularly  at  differ- 
ent times  for  the  congregations  at  Charlottesville,  Free 
Union,  in  Albemarle;  Gordonsville,  Macedonia,  in  Or- 
ange; Louisa  Court  House,  Berea  in  Spottsylvania,  and 
Antioch  in  Caroline. 

His  home  was  at  Charlottesville  from  the  time  he  left 
his  father's  house  for  school  in  his  boyhood,  until  De- 
cember, 1845,  except  two  years  spent  at  Somerset,  in 
Orange  county.  In  the  year  1845  he  moved  into  the 
neighborhood  of  Orange  Springs,  where  he  remained 
until  November,  1851,  when  he  moved  to  a  farm  near 
Gordonsville,  and  established  a  female  school  there  the 
following  year.  In  1856  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Albe- 
marle county,  and  in  the  same  year  he  moved  to  his  new 
home  and  established  his  school  there.  This  school  was 
known  by  the  name  of  ''The  Piedmont  Female  Acade- 
my." Few  teachers  have  ever  made  such  a  deep  and 
pleasant  impression  upon  their  pupils,  and  fewer  still 
whose  memories  are  so  sacredly  embalmed.  James 
Goss  left  the  imprint  of  his  deep  piety  and  exalted  faith 
upon  all  the  young  ladies  of  his  school,  and  in  their 
lives  and  the  lives  of  their  children  he  will  ever  live. 
''The  good  and  efficient  never  die." 

In  August,  1867,  he  moved  to  Hopkinsville,  Ky.,  to 
take  charge  of  a  female  school  in  that  town.     The  re- 


James  W,  Goss  241 

suit  of  this  move  we  will  quote  from  a  sketch  of  his  life, 
written  by  Elder  Peter  Ainslie,  in  the  Christian  Exam- 
iner. 

''In  making  this  move,  though  he  was  actuated  by 
the  best  of  motives,  he  did  wrong.  We  all  saw  it,  and 
those  of  us  who  knew  his  constitution  saw  it  more 
plainly  than  others.  He  was  of  that  pecuhar  make 
that  tended  to  plethora,  and  consequently  to  paralysis. 
He  needed  much  out-door  exercise;  this  he  could  have 
at  his  Piedmont  home  every  morning  and  evening, 
attending  to  his  crops  and  cattle,  but  in  Hopkinsville 
not  so.  His  school-room  and  the  narrow  confines  of  a 
town  lot  were  the  area  of  his  locomotion,  except  oc- 
casionally, urged  by  necessity,  he  would  extend  his 
exercises.  He  needed  exercise  that  would  not  be  for 
the  sake  of  exercise,  but  for  other  motives,  which 
would  cause  him  to  forget  himself  by  being  engrossed 
in  pleasant  objects.  This  he  could  not  find  in  Hop- 
kinsville, but  it  could  be  found  upon  his  farm.  As  we  all 
feared,  he  was  stricken  with  partial  paral3^sis,  ^larch 
20,  1869,  but  remained  in  Kentucky,  at  his  post,  until 
July,  1870,  when,  on  visiting  his  home  in  Albemarle, 
Va.,  and  finding  his  health  declining,  he  did  not  return 
to  Kentucky,  but  wrote  to  the  stockholders  oi  the 
Southern  Kentucky  Female  Institute  severing  his 
connection  with  that  institution.  This  was  received 
by  them  with  much  regret,  and  they  tendered  to  him 
the  expression  of  their  greatest  confidence  and  warmest 
sympathies. 

''By  1870  he  had  accumulated  considerable  property. 
Some  of  his  means  he  had  invested  in  slaves,  which  of 
course  were  swept  from  him  by  the  war;  but  he  had 
bought  a  large  and  beautiful  farm,  upon  which  he  had 
built  a  show}",  comfortable,  and  spacious  house,  with 
all  the  necessary  out-houses,  including  a  well-arranged 
school-house. 

16 


242  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

''He  not  only  contributed  freely  his  money  to  the 
Church  for  all  local  expenses  and  for  the  support  of 
the  evangelists,  but  his  house  was  always  a  home  for 
his  brethren,  and  especially  a  retreat  for  the  preachers. 
When  the  duties  of  his  farm  or  those  of  his  school- 
room called  him,  he  would  leave  the  preacher  surround- 
ed with  a  choice  selection  or  books,  or  there  upon  the 
table  were  pen,  ink  and  paper,  so  he  could  be  profitably 
employed.  I  have  myself  many  pleasant  associations 
connected  with  the  room  he  called  his  office;  and  on  one 
occasion,  years  ago,  in  one  of  my  preaching  tours,  I 
was  taken  very  ill  at  his  house,  and  was  sick  a  long 
time,  and  I  received  every  attention  which  could  be 
bestowed.  I  shall  ever  remember  him  and  his  loved 
partner  T\dth  gratitude.  His  house  was  the  preacher's 
home. 

''After  returning  home,  his  health  continued  to 
decHne,  until  the  26th  day  of  November,  1870,  in  the 
58th  year  of  his  age,  he  breathed  out  this  life  in  the 
arms  of  Him  in  whom  he  trusted,  surrounded  by  his 
heart-stricken  family  and  sorrowing  friends." 

He  was  buried  on  his  farm  at  Piedmont,  about  twelve 
miles  from  Charlottesville.  The  inscription  on  his 
tombstone  reads :  "  Erected  by  the  Churches  of  Louisa 
and  Macedonia,  which  were  mainly  established  and 
built  by  him." 


ELDER  THOMAS  M.  HENLEY. 

Thomas  M.  Henley  was  born  in  Williamsburg,  Vir- 
ginia, January  6,  1783.  His  parents  were  Methodists, 
but  his  father,  Leonard  Henley,  was  of  Episcopal  par- 
entage, the  family  being  one  of  the  old  aristocratic  fam- 
ilies of  Eastern  Virginia.  Bro.  Henley  spent  his  minor- 
ity in  the  town  of  his  birth,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
three  married  Miss  Sally  Yates,  a  near  relative  of  Bishop 
Yates,  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

Soon  after  his  marriage  he  moved  to  Tappahannock, 
Essex  county,  Virginia,  and  engaged  w4th  others  in 
opening  a  coach  establishment.  His  associates  in  this 
business  were  men  of  the  world,  so  he  had  much  to  con- 
tend with;  but,  being  a  man  of  strict  integrity  and 
resolute  purpose,  he  was  not  to  be  turned  from  the  path 
of  rectitude  and  duty.  Although  he  had  not  espoused 
the  Christian  religion,  he  had  been  taught  its  moral 
principles  in  his  boyhood  and  would  not  now  depart 
from  them.  He  feared  no  man's  frown,  yielded  to  no 
one's  flattery,  nor  followed  in  the  wake  of  any  popular 
current.  Hence,  his  associates  never  succeeded  in 
leading  him  in  paths  of  worldly  pleasure.  Though  a 
stranger  in  his  new  home,  he  soon  gained  many  friends 
by  the  course  of  his  life.  Yet,  the  confidence  of  men, 
or  the  esteem  of  the  world,  could  not  supply  food  for 
the  longings  of  the  soul.  The  story  of  his  conversion 
we  give  as  nearly  as  possible  in  his  own  w^ords,  as  sup- 
plied by  his  son,  Robert  Y.  Henley,  and  published  in 
the  Christian  Examiner  in  1870:  ''  I  had  a  pious  mother 


244  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

who  taught  me  to  beheve  in  the  Lord,  to  love  Him,  and 
to  pray  to  Him,  and  though  my  associates  were  irre- 
ligious and  I  was  immersed  in  the  cares  and  anxieties 
of  the  world,  and  that  mother  long  since  gone  from 
earth,  her  instructions  were  not  forgotten.  In  1810  I 
became  deeply  concerned  upon  the  subject  of  religion, 
and  resolved  by  God's  help  that  I  would  become  a 
Christian.  I  read  the  Bible,  attended  meetings,  con- 
versed with  religious  men  and  women,  prayed  and 
agonized,  and  yet  I  could  not  obtain  what  was  called 
an  evidence  of  pardon — life  was  a  burden,  the  future 
was  all  darkness,  and  hope  seemed  to  be  displaced  by 
despair.  What  more  to  do  I  knew  not,  and  in  this 
state  of  mind  I  resolved  to  die  seeking  the  Lord,  and 
vowed  that  I  would  neither  eat  nor  drink  until  I  found 
peace  with  God.  I  gave  up  my  business,  withdrew 
from  society,  and  retired  to  my  room,  and  devoted  my- 
self to  prayer  and  reading  the  Bible ;  but  the  Bible  to 
me  was  a  sealed  book.  I  earnestly  desired  to  see  its 
beauties  and  receive  its  consolations,  but  not  one  com- 
fort could  I  receive.  My  mental  anguish  and  fasting 
entirely  prostrated  me.  My  good  wife  was  greatly 
distressed  and  plead  with  me  to  partake  of  refresh- 
ment. I  refused.  She  called  in  my  family  physician. 
When  he  came  in  I  was  on  my  knees  in  prayer.  I  was 
so  weak  that  I  was  unable  to  rise  without  assistance. 
Doctor  tried  to  engage  me  in  conversation,  but  I  was 
too  w^eak  and  in  too  much  distress  of  mind  to  respond 
to  his  kindness.  He  prepared  water  and  milk  for  me.  I 
refused  to  drink.  He  and  my  kind  and  affectionate 
wife  appealed  to  me  and  urged  me  for  her  sake  and  the 


Elder  Thomas  M.  Henley  245 

sake  of  my  little  children  to  yield.  I  put  the  glass 
to  my  mouth  several  times  before  I  could  drink.  Un- 
this  treatment  I  regained  my  strength,  but  my  an- 
guish was  greater.  I  resolved  that  I  would  read  the 
Scriptures  more  closely.  I  began  to  think  that  some- 
thing was  wrong,  and  that  the  error  was  in  me,  either 
in  the  mode  of  my  seeking  or  my  earnestness.  That  I 
was  in  earnest  and  desired  salvation  with  all  my  heart 
I  knew.  Then  where  was  the  mistake?  I  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  I  had  mistaken  the  mode,  and  that  the 
views  of  the  pious  as  to  seeking  religion  were  a  delusion. 
But  how  to  read  the  Scriptures  so  as  to  enlighten  my 
mind  upon  the  subject  which  at  that  time  mostly  in- 
terested me  was  an  important  question.  '  What  must 
I  do  to  be  saved?'  was  the  question  I  knew  must  be 
answered  somewhere  in  the  Bible,  but  where?  Not  in 
the  Old  Testament,  because  that  belonged  to  the  Old 
Dispensation.  Then  the  answer  must  be  in  the  New. 
Such  a  conclusion  gave  me  comfort.  I  began  to  search 
forthwith.  My  faith  in  God's  Word  was  very  strong, 
and  I  determined  to  read  with  order  and  ponder  upon 
what  I  read.  There  were  many  passages  which  were 
full  of  comfort  to  the  man  who  had  passed  from  dark- 
ness to  light,  but  I  could  not  apply  them  to  myself,  be- 
cause I  was  still  in  darkness.  I  then  gathered  such 
passages  as  were  suited  to  my  case,  and  just  as  soon  as 
I  did  so  my  mind  became  more  calm.  During  this 
search  I  read  the  following  passages :  '  God  so  loved  the 
world,'  etc;  'He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall 
be  saved. '  I  spoke  out  to  myself,  '  I  do  believe  with  all 
my  heart — I  will  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 


246  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Jesus.'  God  is  faithful  to  his  promises.  My  joy  was 
unspeakable.  My  sorrow  and  anguish  were  gone.  I 
found  in  the  Word  of  God  that  joy  which  I  had  for 
months  been  seeking.  I  was  a  happy  man — there  was 
joy  in  believing.  I  hastened  to  my  chamber  with  a 
happy  heart  and  joyous  countenance,  but,  before  I 
could  speak,  my  dear  wife  arose  and  fell  upon  my  neck 
and  wept  for  joy,  saying,  'I  know  you  are  happy.' 
Yes,  it  was  a  happy  meeting.  I  immediately  applied 
to  a  Baptist  minister  to  immerse  me.  I  went  to  the 
church  and  told  them,  I  had  no  Christian  experience  to 
relate;  I  believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus;  that  He  had  com- 
manded me  to  be  baptized  and  had  promised  that  I 
should  be  saved.  And  upon  this  confession  I  was 
baptized." 

Because  of  his  union  with  the  Baptists  his  father  dis- 
inherited him.  In  the  course  of  time,  however,  nearly 
the  whole  family  came  into  the  churches  of  Christ. 
The  case  of  Father  Henley  is  one  of  those  cases  which 
furnish  an  illustration  of  the  evil  consequences  of  the 
false  teaching  of  that  day.  Nor  is  this  teaching  yet 
abrogated.  Soon  after  Bro.  Henley's  baptism  he  be- 
gan to  pray  in  pubhc,  and  when  he  had  given  the 
church  evidence  of  his  desire  and  determination  to 
preach,  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry.  In  1812  his 
wife  died,  leaving  three  children,  Leonard,  Robert  and 
Mary. 

In  1813  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Temple,  He  con- 
tinued to  preach,  and  was  regarded  as  a  man  of  strong 
and  vigorous  mind  and  great  determination  of  char- 
acter.    He  loved  the  Baptist  Church,  and  would  do 


Elder  Thomas  M.  Henley  247 

anything  to  enhance  her  honor.  He  was  fond  of  ad- 
vocating and  defending  the  doctrines  of  the  church, 
and  would  buy  and  read  every  work  written  in  behalf 
of  her  cause. 

About  the  year  1824  the  Methodists  commenced  to 
preach  upon  baptism  in  his  neighborhood,  and  as  that 
subject  had  not  often  been  presented  to  the  public  in  a 
bold  and  fearless  manner,  and  as  he  feared  no  evil  con- 
sequences from  open  investigation,  and  being  deter- 
mined to  meet  the  issue,  he  purchased  the  Debate  be- 
tween Campbell  and  McCalla  and  read  it  carefully. 
He  was  pleased  with  it,  and  determined  to  have  an  in- 
terview with. Mr.  Campbell.  In  1818  Father  Henley 
was  chosen  pastor  of  Upper  Essex  Baptist  Church,  and 
as  the  Dover  Association  was  to  meet  with  that  church 
in  1825,  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Campbell  and  invited  him  to 
attend.  He  did  attend.  At  this  Association  were  the 
master  spirits  of  the  Baptist  churches.  Here  it  was 
that  Mr.  Campbell  first  met  Robert  Y.  Semple  and  An- 
drew Broaddus.  Mr.  Campbell  presented  his  views  of 
the  restoration  of  the  primitive  order  of  things.  There 
was  great  diversity  of  opinion  as  to  the  soundness  of 
his  views,  yet  there  was  no  open  opposition  to  them. 
Mr.  Henley  was  among  those  w^ho  were  willing  to 
''prove  all  things,  hold  fast  that  which  is  good."  Ac- 
cordingly he  gave  his  subscription  to  Mr.  Campbell 
for  the  Christian  Baptist.  Upon  his  return  home 
Mr.  Campbell  appointed  Mr.  Henley  agent,  but  he 
objected  to  the  appointment  because  he  was  not 
satisfied  as  to  the  soundness  of  the  views  advanced. 
He  ordered    copies    of   all  the    back  numbers  of  the 


248  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Christian  Baptist,  together  with  all  of  Mr.  Campbell's 
publications  on  matters  of  religion,  in  order  that  he 
might  give  his  views  a  fair  examination.  He  soon 
became  convinced  that  many  of  his  former  views  were 
wrong,  and  that  Mr.  Campbell  was  echoing  the  truths 
taught  by  Christ  and  the  Apostles. 

Thomas  Henley  was  a  fearless  man,  and  no  sooner 
had  he  become  convinced  that  he  had  not  preached  the 
whole  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ  Jesus  than  he  openly  pro- 
claimed the  principle  of  restoration.  This  caused  cer- 
tain members  of  the  church  to  raise  a  spirit  of  opposi- 
tion against  -him,  which  soon  expressed  itself  as  follows : 

In  April,  1828,  at  the  monthly  meeting  of  Salem 
Church,  of  which  Andrew  Broaddus  was  pastor,  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  adopted  and  sent  to  Bro.  Henley: 

''Resolved,  That  this  Church  disapproves  of  certain 
views  and  sentiments  advanced  by  elder  Henley  as 
contrary  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Gospel,  particularly  that 
sentiment  which  considers  a  sinner  as  repenting  and 
believing  in  Christ  with  a  saving  faith  before  he  receives 
any  influence  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  this 
resolution,  with  their  Christian  love  to  Bro.  Henley, 
be  made  known  to  him. 

''By  order  of  the  Church. 

"Ira  White,  S.  C.  Clerk." 

Bro.  Henley  sent  a  reply  to  the  church  denying  that 
he  had  used  any  such  language,  or  advanced  any  such 
sentiment;  but  stating,  furthermore,  that  he  had 
"searched  the  New  Testament,  and  could  not  find 
therein  any  express  language  where  God  had  ever  given 
his  Holy  Spirit  to  any  sinner  previous  to  his  believing  in 


Elder  Thomas  M.  Henley  249 

Him,"  and  promised,  upon  their  pointing  him  to  such, 
that  he  would  publicly  recall  any  such  statements  said 
to  have  been  uttered  by  him.  He  received  for  answer: 
"We  decline  your  invitation  to  bring  forward  express 
language,"  etc.  ''On  this  point  our  minds,  we  trust, 
have  long  been  fixed,  viz.,  that  no  unregenerate  sinner 
repents  and  believes  with  a  saving  faith,  without  the 
enlightening  and  quickening  influence  of  God's  Holy 
Spirit." 

Information  of  his  ''  heresy  "  was  soon  brought 
before  the  Upper  Essex  Baptist  Church,  of  which  he 
was  pastor.  He  was  tried,  Andrew  Broaddus  present, 
and  the  pastoral  charge  dissolved  by  a  majority  of  one! 
The  doctrine  that  was  so  obnoxious  to  the  non-reform- 
ers was  then  discussed.  He  was  then  unanimously  in- 
vited to  ^^  preach  "  to  them.  No  comment  on  the  foregoing 
trial  is  necessary,  as  the  chief  instigator  is  named  and 
the  final  result  fully  vindicated  Bro.  Henley. 

A  second  time  he  was  drawn  before  the  church  and 
was  ''counted  blameless."  A  resolution  was  then 
drawn  up  by  a  member  of  the  church,  though  it  was  in 
reality  the  production  of  several  public  teachers.  He 
met  them  and  discussed  its  charges.  A  committee  of 
six  public  teachers  was  appointed  to  assist  in  the  trial 
on  July  4,  1829.  Before  the  trial  took  place  the  church 
authorized  Dr.  A.  Somervail  to  propose  to  Bro.  Henley 
a  letter  of  dismission  without  going  into  trial  of  the 
charges.  He  refused  unless  the  church  would  also 
acquit  him  of  the  charges  and  all  moral  impropriety, 
and  also  told  them  that  he  could  not  take  a  letter  in 
full  fellowship  owing  to  the  attitude  of  certain  members 


250  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

toward  him,  one  of  whom  said  he  would  never  be  recon- 
ciled to  him  (Henley)  while  his  soul  was  in  his  body 
unless  Bro.  Henley  would  confess  that  he  had  treated 
Bishop  Semple  amiss.  The  only  question  put  to  the 
church  was,  '^Was  there  any  moral  impropriety  against 
Thomas  M.  Henley?"  The  whole  church  present  voted 
there  was  none,  except  the  above  mentioned  individual, 
and  Dr.  Somervail  wrote  the  letter  as  follows: 

''The  Upper  Essex  Church,  after  due  deliberation, 
hereby  give  Bro.  Henley  a  letter  of  dismission  from  his 
Church,  not  in  full  fellowship:  but  only  they  disapprove 
of  the  doctrine  he  chooses  to  preach.  They  have  no 
complaint  for  immorality,  or  any  other  fault,  but  his 
doctrine  alone. 

''By  order  of  the  Church. 

"Thomas   Wright,   Jr.-,   Clerk." 

According  to  these  proceedings  it  is  obvious  that  he 
could  unite  with  any  church  he  chose  to,  or  preach  for 
any  church  that  was  satisfied  with  the  doctrine  he  pro- 
claimed. 

He  united  with  Acquintain  Church,  King  William 
county,  and  in  October,  1831,  was  sent  from  this  church 
as  messenger  to  the  Dover  Association.  Ascertaining 
that  a  few  of  the  priesthood  had  determined  to  make 
him  the  bone  of  a  personal  controversy  and  thus  in- 
volve the  church  to  which  he  belonged,  he  went  to  the 
Moderator,  Bishop  Semple,  on  the  day  of  his  arrival, 
and  withdrew  himself  as  a  messenger,  hoping  thereby 
to  forestall  the  introduction  of  personalities  into  the  As- 
sociation. Philip  T.  Montague  and  Andrew  Broaddus, 
aided  by  George  Wright  and  George  Schools,  unwilHng 


Elder  Thomas  M.  Henley  251 

to  let  slip  a  chance  for  wounding  the  feelings  and  de- 
stroying the  character  of  Mr.  Henley,  changed  a  ques- 
tion on  general  principles  that  was  before  the  Associa- 
tion into  a  personal  attack.  Montague  and  Wright 
asserted  that  he  had  been  excluded  from  the  Upper  Es- 
sex Church,  to  which  he  formerly  belonged.  Broaddus 
asserted  that  although  he  was  not  excluded  in  form, 
yet  he  was  persuaded  the  church  so  intended  it,  and 
labored  hard  to  make  the  impression  upon  the  Associa- 
tion that  such  was  the  fact. 

Bro.  Henley  asked  leave  of  the  Association  to  correct 
this  misrepresentation,  but  was  refused  the  privilege  of 
testifying.  It  was  a  scheme  laid  by  Andrew  Broaddus 
and  his  co-laborers  to  injure  the  character  of  Mr.  Hen- 
ley, and  he  immediately  published  in  the  Harbinger 
such  documentary  evidence  as  was  necessary  to  expose 
the  unprincipled  perpetrators. 

It  was  at  this  same  Association  that  the  Dover  De- 
cree was  passed,  as  related  in  a  former  chapter  of  this 
work. 

In  1834  Mr.  Henley  moved  to  Hillsboro,  King  and 
Queen  county,  and  devoted  the  rest  of  his  life  to  the 
cause  of  restoration  of  the  ancient  order  of  things.  He 
went  everywhere  preaching  the  Word  until  disease 
caused  him  to  limit  his  tours  and  remain  more  at  home. 
His  pen  became  more  active,  and  he  wrote  for  every 
paper  in  the  reformation.  He  was  confined  to  his  house 
for  many  months,  but  whenever  his  health  and  the 
weather  would  permit,  he  was  seen  at  the  Smyrna 
Church  on  Lord's  Day,  bowing  in  humble  reverence  to 
the  Lord  his  God,  and  partaking  of  the  emblems  of  his 


252  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

body  and  blood.  As  the  wasting  hand  of  disease  rested 
more  heavily  upon  him  his  mind  and  spirit  rose  to  their 
highest  point  of  activity,  and  many  of  the  best  pro- 
ductions of  his  pen  were  detailed  while  unable  to  sit 
up,  and  committed  to  the  paper  by  his  son,  Robert. 
Among  these  were  several  letters  to  his  friend  and  for- 
mer co-worker,  Andrew  Broaddus,  and  one  to  Bro. 
Campbell  from  the  "Banks  of  Jordan."  He  loved  Mr. 
Broaddus,  and  loved  him  to  the  last.  He  was  very  anx- 
ious to  see  him  before  he  fell  asleep,  and  wrote  to  him 
by  special  messenger,  inviting  him  to  visit  him,  but 
that  coveted  pleasure  was  never  realized. 

He  quietly  breathed  his  last  on  March  6,  1846.  His 
wife  survived  him  for  several  years,  and  was  buried  by 
the  side  of  her  sainted  husband,  at  Hillsboro. 

As  a  writer  Bro.  Henley  was  full  but  concise,  his 
points  were  well  taken,  and  his  proofs  clear  and  conclu- 
sive. Writing  was  his  forte.  His  letters,  essays  and 
rejoinders  to  opponents  were  unanswerable.  He  was 
untiring  in  his  energies  in  collecting  statements  of  facts, 
conversations,  transactions,  writings  of  friends  and  op- 
ponents, and  everything  that  passed  under  his  eye;  con- 
sequently it  was  hazardous  to  call  in  question  any  state- 
ment or  argument  from  his  pen.  As  a  preacher  he  was 
plain  and  direct  in  language,  even  to  bluntness,  and 
sometimes  gave  unintentional  offence  even  to  his  best 
friends.  He  condemned  errors  in  both  doctrine  and 
life  in  the  strongest  language.  His  language  on  such 
occasions  was  unstudied,  spontaneous,  and  the  out- 
pouring of  an  honest  heart.     He  was  not  so  strong  a 


Elder  Thomas  M.  Henley  253 

speaker  as  he  was  a  writer,  his  pulpit  work  being  im- 
paired by  an  unharmonious  voice  and  the  absence  of 
exhortational  gifts. 

His  son,  Robert  Y.  Henley,  accompanied  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, when  the  latter  returned  from  the  Constitutional 
Convention  in  1830,  to  his  home  in  Bethany.  There 
he  attended  Buffalo  Seminary,  which  school  Mr.  Camp- 
bell had  been  running  for  over  ten  years.  After  a  few 
years  he  married  one  of  Mr.  Campbell's  daughters.  He 
became  a  worthy  successor  of  his  father  in  the  cause  of 
reformation. 


ELDER  JNO.  G.  PARRISH. 

This  sketch  is  taken  m  toto  from  the  Christian 
Examiner  of  November,  1871: 

Many  could  be  named  in  the  literary,  scientific  and 
artistic  world  who  had  to  surmount  the  barriers 
erected  by  poverty.  Nor  is  the  Church  exempt  in  this 
particular.  Without  calling  up  the  names  of  those 
whom  we  know  only  from  the  pages  of  history,  we  can 
speak  of  the  eloquent  Magoon,  a  Baptist  minister, 
who  is  known  to  many  of  us,  and  who  is  not  ashamed 
to  speak,  upon  the  platform,  of  his  trowel  and  mortar, 
and  the  days  of  his  poverty.  Even  the  venerable 
Dr.  Jeter  has  not  forgotten  his  early  struggles  for  an 
education,  and  his  youthfully  ardent  wish  for  exten- 
sive usefulness.  The  sainted  T.  M.  Henley,  by  un- 
tiring application,  from  the  days  of  his  full  manhood 
to  the  day  of  his  death,  learned  to  wield  a  pen,  the 
fruits  of  which  were  cheerfully  read  by  the  lovers  of  a 
pure  Christianit}^  and  dreaded  by  the  advocates  of 
untaught  questions.  Nor  was  his  co-laborer,  the  late 
Elder  Peter  Ainslie,  more  fortimate  in  earl}^  life.  His 
youthful  struggles  after  knowledge  were  hindered  by 
poverty ;  but  in  after  time,  became  equally  distinguished 
in  the  pulpit.  And  last,  but  not  least,  we  can  associate 
with  these  the  name  of  Elder  John  G.  Parrish,  the 
subject  of  this  brief  sketch,  of  whom  we  will  now 
speak. 

His  grandfather  came  from  England  with  his  parent 
when  a  j^outh,  and  settled  in  Gloucester  county,  Va., 
and  became  a  successful  farmer  in  that  county.  His 
father  became  a  sea  captain,  and  in  a  storm  met  with 
a  watery  grave,  leaving  his  son  John  a  small  boy. 
John  G.  Parrish  was  born  in  Fredericksburg,  Va., 
December    23,    1817.     The    circumstances    connected 


Elder  John  G.  Parrish  255 

with  his  early  childhood  were  those  common  to  children, 
except  a  most  inciiiisitive  mind  and  unflagging  will: 
these  marked  him  as  a  promising  boy.  By  his  own 
application  to  books  he  had  made  considerable  progress 
in  his  primary  studies  before  he  was  sent  to  school. 
Very  soon,  however,  in  these  early  struggles,  a  favora- 
ble opportunity  presented  itself,  and  he  entered  the 
school  of  Mr.  John  Goodrich,  where  he  advanced  in 
his  studies  with  much  gratification  to  his  teacher  and 
friends.  He  continued  at  school  until  he  was  fourteen 
or  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  another  opportune  occasion 
having  offered  itself  to  his  energetic  and  busy  mind, 
he  entered  the  store  of  the  late  Samuel  Phillips,  who 
was  at  that  time  engaged  in  a  large  shipping  and  com- 
mission business  in  Fredericksburg.  Here  he  learned 
much  of  the  ways  of  the  world  and  the  intricacies  of 
mercantile  life.  During  this  time  he  kept  up  a  course 
of  study.  His  busy  mind  was  never  at  rest.  He  did 
not  while  his  time  away  by  loitering,  nor  by  smoking 
costly  segars,  nor  in  frequenting  saloons  for  pleasure. 
He  felt,  even  at  that  early  day,  that  there  was  a  destiny 
before  him.  Hence  he  was  called  'Hhe  student  clerk." 
A  book  or  a  newspaper,  whenever  he  was  not  engaged 
in  his  regular  business,  was  in  his  hands.  He  was 
trusted  beyond  his  years.  He  had  many  friends  of 
the  better  sort.  He  was  baptized  in  Fredericksburg 
in  1838,  consequently  in  the  twenty-first  year  of  his 
age.  His  conversion  was  regarded  as  a  promising 
acquisition  to  the  church.  On  the  4th  of  December, 
1839,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  S.  Bunbury, 
by  Rev.  Mr.  T.  B.  ]\Iorgan,  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
About  this  time  he  commenced  merchandizing  in 
Fredericksburg.  He  did  quite  a  large  business,  but 
he  did  not  lay  up  much  of  the  fruits  of  his  labors — 
first,  because  of  his  liberality  and  humane  feelings, 
both  of  which  he  possessed  to  too  great  an  extent  for 
his  own  prosperity;  and  secondly,  because  his  mind 


256  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

and  heart  were  bent  on  devoting  himself  to  the  ministry. 
Money-making  and  the  ministry  seldom  prosper  with 
the  same  individual  at  the  same  time.  But  of  this  we 
will  speak  as  we  advance.  He  was  at  this  period 
devoting  his  talents  to  the  upbuilding  of  the  church 
in  Fredericksburg,  by  religious  visits  whenever  he 
could  during  the  week,  and  exhorting  in  the  church 
on  Lord's  days  and  once  a  week  in  prayer-meetings. 

The  wheel  of  time  rolled  on,  and  his  rehgious  labors 
increased,  and  his  gifts  as  a  speaker  were  more  and 
m.ore  effective,  and  appreciated  by  the  Church  and 
aliens:  so  much  so,  that  he  began  to  be  regarded  as  a 
preacher.  He  moved  from  Fredericksburg  to  the 
Bowling  Green,  in  Caroline  county,  in  the  summer  of 
1845.  It  seems  he  was  in  co-partnership  with  W.  F. 
Cheek,  under  the  firm  of  Cheek  &  Parrish,  when  he 
left  Fredericksburg.  He  went  into  mercantile  busi- 
ness at  Bowling  Green,  and  continued  in  it  until  1849. 
He  was  regularly  ordained  to  the  ministry,  in  old 
Antioch,  in  1847  or  '48,  and  from  the  best  information. 
Brethren  Goss  and  Coleman  officiated  upon  the  occasion. 
Much  of  his  time  was  now  devoted  to  the  ministry  of 
the  Word.  He  would  take  long  trips  from  home, 
and  more  frequently  than  otherwise  at  his  own  charges ; 
and  his  business  at  home  suffered  much  for  the  want 
of  his  personal  attention.  His  own  horse  was  in  requi- 
sition, rivers  were  crossed,  other  expenses  incurred, 
his  business  at  home  neglected,  and  his  talents  and 
time  employed  in  preaching  to  rich  churches  by  their 
own  invitations;  and  some  of  the  members,  who  had 
an  abundance  of  this  world's  goods,  when  asked  to 
assist  in  raising  a  small  sum  for  him,  would  open  their 
eyes  in  astonishment,  and  exclaim,  ''Why,  Bro.  Par- 
rish has  a  store!"  Poor  little  shriveled-up  souls! — and 
if  it  would  not  be  regarded  profane,  I  would  say  that 
such  souls  ivere  too  small  and  covetous  for  the  grace  of 
God  to  find  them.     If  this  is  wicked,  please  pardon  the 


Elder  John  G.  Parrish  257 

thought,  and  attribute  it  to  holy  indignation  and 
contempt. 

In  him  we  see  a  young  devoted  brother,  in  love 
with  the  cause  committed  to  his  trust,  earnestly  pray- 
ing and  laboring  for  the  religious  health  of  the  Church, 
the  conversion  of  the  world;  sacrificing  the  comforts 
of  home,  and  his  own  business,  by  which  his  equally 
self-sacrificing  wife  and  children  are  to  get  their  daily 
bread;  leaving  all  to  respond  to  the  apparently  earnest 
solicitation  to  visit  and  preach  for  them,  having  to 
return  home  with  the  overheard  exclamation,  ''Why, 
Bro.  Parrish  has  a  store!"  And  this  is  the  kind  of 
means  he  has  to  pay  his  expenses  back  to  his  distant 
home!  Brethren,  pardon  me — no,  I  will  not  write 
it — for  if  I  were,  this  ink  would  turn  red  and  the 
lurid  flames  of  indignation  would  curl  in  consuming 
heat  around  some  poor  covetous  heart.  Thank  the 
Lord  we  have  not  many  such  in  the  churches.  But  the 
few  who  remain,  if  they  do  not  repent  and  turn  to  the 
Lord  and  plead  for  mercy,  will  be  bound  with  the 
chains  of  Rhodomanthus  to  heaps  of  heated  gold. 

No  preacher  can  preach  with  efficiency  while  en- 
gaged in  secular  affairs ;  or  if  he  succeeds  as  a  preacher, 
his  secular  interest  will  suffer.  This  was  the  case  with 
the  profits  arising  from  the  store  of  Bro.  Parrish. 
His  want  of  success  in  business  did  not  arise  from  the 
absence  of  capacity,  nor  from  inattention  when  at 
home,  but  because  he  had  to  be  so  often  from  home 
and  his  business,  preaching  the  Gospel  and  building 
up  the  churches.  He,  seeing  the  state  of  his  affairs, 
commenced  to  close  up  his  business.  This  he  did  with 
honor,  and  saved  something,  but  nothing  compared 
with  what  he  ought  to  have  realized. 

He  had  now  a  growing  famil}^,  and  was  determined 
that  his  children  should  be  educated.  But  situated 
as  he  was,  he  could  not  accomplish  so  desirable  an 
object;  and  after  much  thought,  he  determined  to  go 

17 


258  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

to  California,  and  try  the  fortunes  of  that  distant  State. 
This  he  did  in  March,  1849. 

There  was  a  native  determination  and  vim  in  his 
character  that  marked  him  as  a  man  of  power;  there 
was  no  indolence  nor  muteness  in  him;  if  he  had  a 
question  before  him,  he  gave  it  the  powers  of  his  strong 
mind,  and  as  soon  as  he  reached  a  conclusion,  he  spoke 
it  out  with  plainness,  or,  if  it  required  action,  he  was 
equal  to  the  task.  He  was  a  man  of  the  right  stamp. 
It  is  said  that  ''circumstances  make  men,"  and  no 
doubt  they  have  much  to  do  with  them; but  the  man 
who  has  the  inherent  seeds  of  advancement  in  him  is 
no  Micawber,  ''waiting  for  something  to  turn  up," 
but  elbows  obstacles  out  of  his  way,  and  passes  on  with 
determination.  He  being  just  such  a  man,  and  having 
the  education  of  his  children  in  view,  and  seeing  this 
could  not  be  accomplished  if  he  remained  in  Virginia, 
made  provision  for  his  family,  then  committed  them  to 
the  Lord,  and  in  March,  1849,  left  for  California.  When 
he  reached  there,  he  found  himself  in  a  strange  land, 
among  strangers.  He  engaged  immediately  in  busi- 
ness. He  visited  the  gold  mines,  and  worked  in  them 
for  a  short  time,  but  his  business  chiefly  was  in  more 
congenial  localities.  After  being  there  a  month  or 
two  he  found  a  few  brethren,  some  in  organized  churches, 
but  the  most  of  them  without  congregational  ad- 
vantages. He  commenced  to  labor  among  them  by 
organizing  several  churches  and  preaching  regularly, 
not  only  to  churches,  but  in  regions  beyond.  He  was 
not  only  popular  as  a  preacher,  but  as  a  man,  so  much 
so  that  without  any  effort  on  his  part  the  people 
elected  him  to  the  Legislature.  This  was  not  what  he 
wished,  nor  would  he  consent  to  accept  such  honor 
until  after  much  persuasion.  This,  however,  while 
it  to  some  extent  interfered  with  his  business  arrange- 
ments, presented  a  wider  and  more  faithful  field  of 
religious  usefulness,     He   had   access   to   ears   which. 


Elder  John  G.  Parrish  259 

perhaps,  otherwise  would  never  have  heard  the  ancient 
Gospel.  He  made  use  of  all  these  advantages  to  en- 
lighten the  minds  and  convert  his  fellow-citizens.  Nor 
were  his  labors  in  vain.  He  became  an  instrument  in 
the  hands  of  the  Lord  in  turning  many  from  darkness 
to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God. 

If  he  had  confined  himself  exclusively  to  money- 
making,  he  w^ould  have  realized  to  a  great  extent  his 
hopes,  but  wdien  he  saw  the  people  anxious  to  hear  the 
Gospel,  the  chief  object  of  his  life  w^ould  cause  him 
to  devote  some  of  his  time  to  the  ministry.  He  accu- 
mulated considerable,  and  invested  it  in  property, 
which  he  thought  would  in  a  short  time  pay  him  a  fine 
profit. 

During  his  stay  in  California  he  wrote  a  series  of  very 
interesting  letters,  which  were  published  in  the  Christian 
Intelligencer.  They  gave  not  only  the  results  of  his 
religious  labors,  but  many  interesting  incidents  of 
California  life.  Those  letters  were  well  written,  and 
w^ere  the  first  evidences  of  his  capacity  as  a  writer. 

He  remained  in  California  until  the  spring  of  1852, 
when  he  returned  home  to  the  joy  of  his  loving  wife 
and  fond  children.  In  a  short  time  after  his  return  he 
engaged  actively  in  the  ministry.  He  not  only  preached 
regularly  for  several  churches,  but  his  voice  was  heard 
at  many  protracted  meetings  in  other  fields.  Nor  was 
his  pen  idle;  the  readers  of  the  Intelligencer  were 
favored  with  many  rich  articles  upon  religious  sub- 
jects. During  this  time  the  Lord  afilicted  him  in  the 
loss  of  his  dear  wdfe;  she  who  had  been  his  comfort, 
and  the  one  who  had  cared  for  the  family  during  those 
two  long  years  he  w^as  in  California.  She  left  him  and 
her  dear  children  for  that  brighter  land  on  28th  of 
May,  1855.  She  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth.  Peaceful 
be  her  slumbers,  and  angels  guard  her  resting  place. 

He  continued  to  labor  for  the  cause  until  the  spring 
of  1856,  when  he  returned  to  Cahfornia,  to  dispose  of 


260  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

his  property,  and  make  a  final  settlement  of  all  his 
affairs  in  that  section.  He  reached  there  in  safety, 
but  did  not  find  his  investments  as  profitable  as  he 
had  wished.  He  had  fondly  hoped,  as  he  once  ex- 
pressed himself  to  me,  that  he  would  realize  enough 
to  secure  ample  means  for  himself  and  family  during 
life.  But  how  uncertain  are  the  things  of  earth!  He 
remained  there  one  year,  preached  much,  and  baptized 
a  great  number  of  men  and  women,  and  also  engaged 
in  new  secular  schemes,  but  his  efforts  in  these  were 
not  very  profitable.  We  have,  in  this  third  attempt, 
an  evidence  that  secular  business  and  preaching  can- 
not both  at  the  same  time  be  successful.  Inspired 
wisdom  has  settled  this  beyond  all  question,  and  it  is 
only  to  suffer  defeat  for  us  to  try  to  harmonize  them. 
"No  man  that  warreth  entangleth  himself  with  the 
affairs  of  this  life,  that  he  may  please  Him  who  hath 
chosen  him  to  be  a  soldier.  And  if  a  man  also  strive 
for  masteries,  yet  is  he  not  crowned  except  he  strive 
lawfully."  If  he  had  confined  himself  to  money- 
making,  and  hardened  his  heart  to  the  promptings  of 
Divine  grace,  and  said  to  his  conscience,  "Peace,  be 
still,"  his  talents  and  energy  would  have  filled  his 
pockets  with  the  riches  of  that  gold  region.  But 
would  that  have  been  right  in  the  sight  of  God  and 
good  men?  No,  no.  Nevertheless,  with  all  his  ad- 
verses,  he  realized  some  of  the  fruits  of  his  secular 
labors,  and  returned  to  his  native  State  in  1857,  and 
made  arrangements  for  the  education  of  his  children. 
In  fact  some  of  them  had  already  entered  upon  their 
academic  and  collegiate  studies.  When  we  consider 
this  brother,  in  the  prime  of  his  manhood,  with  not 
onty  native  talents,  but  much  acquired  learning  and 
untiring  energies — one  who  had  devoted  himself  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  cause  of  saving  souls,  thus  struggling 
to  educate  his  children  and  support  his  family — we  ask 
why  are  such  embarrassments  in  the  way  of  his  san- 


Elder  John  G.  Parrish  261 

guine  desires?  Was  it  his  fault,  or  that  of  those  who 
had  reaped  the  benefits  of  his  labors?  Or  rather 
would  you  not  ask,  Is  it  not  a  small  thing,  as  he  had 
labored  much  for  our  spiritual  good,  that  we  should 
see  to  his  temporal  good? 

Brethren,  there  is  a  fault  somewhere.  Jno.  G.  Par- 
rish was  fitted  by  nature  and  education  to  occupy  a 
high  position,  at  the  bar,  in  medicine,  or  in  any  other 
secular  business!  But,  no,  he  gave  his  all  to  the  good 
of  his  fellow  beings;  and  when  he  asked  for  bread  he 
was  given  a  stone.  But  you  say  he  never  made  his 
wants  or  desires  known.  Shame  upon  you  for  having 
such  a  thought!  Did  you  not  reap  his  spiritual  things? 
Was  he  making  money  while  he  was  preaching  for  you! 
Were  not  your  secular  affairs  going  on  while  he  was 
laboring  for  you?  Could  he  Hve  upon  the  wind  and 
the  smiles  of  fond  brethren  and  sisters?  You  have 
not  the  time  to  attend  protracted  meetings— say  ten, 
twenty  and  fifty  miles  from  home?  If  so,  how  could 
he?  My  dear  brethren,  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his 
hire. 

After  his  return  from  California  he  devoted  himself 
exclusively  to  preaching  and  to  the  health  of  the 
churches.'  He  commenced  to  edit  the  Christian  In- 
telligencer in  1859.  When  the  war  was  forced  upon 
us,  every  department  of  business,  of  domestic  com- 
fort, and  of  religious  work,  were  thrown  into  confusion, 
but  he  continued  to  edit  the  paper,  frequently  at  his 
own  expense  (and  the  expense  of  Bro.  Clemmitt,  the 
publisher),  and  to  preach  to  sinners,  and  exhort  the 
brethren  and  sisters  to  be  faithful  to  the  Lord  and  to 
the  good  of  their  fellow-citizens. 

In  1860  he  was  married,  by  Elder  R.  L.  Coleman, 
to  Miss  Susan  G.  Farrar,  a  devoted  Christian  and  one 
eminently  qualified  to  be  a  preacher's  wife,  and  to 
take  charge  of  orphan  children;  but  she  was  of  a  weak 
constitution,  and  the  war  coming  on,  with  all  of  its 


262  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

fatalities,  her  frail  physique  gave  way  to  the  onus  of 
its  increased  and  increasing  burdens,  and  she  hngered 
in  a  decline  until  September  17,  1868,  when,  in  the 
blissful  hope  of  a  better  world,  she  breathed  her  last 
in  the  arms  of  Jesus,  leaving  four  little  children  to 
realize  the  loss  of  a  mother's  love  and  care. 

During  the  war  he  was  chaplain,  and  ranked  as 
major;  he  did  good  service  to  the  cause  of  religion 
throughout  the  war,  and  from  the  hardships  of  camp 
life  contracted  a  disease  from  which  he  never  recovered, 
and  which  ultimately  terminated  his  earthly  existence. 

In  1860,  while  engaged  in  his  study,  one  of  his  little 
children,  while  kneeling,  committing  herself  to  the 
care  of  the  Lord  before  retiring  to  bed,  caught  fire; 
he,  hearing  her  screams,  rushed  into  the  nursery  and 
found  her  in  flames;  and  he,  in  attempting  to  extinguish 
the  fire,  was  very  much  burnt.  She  was  so  much 
burnt  that  she  died  in  twelve  hours  after,  to  her  own 
relief  and  that  of  the  sympathizing  family.  This 
affliction,  with  the  circumstances  connected  therewith, 
caused  him  much  anguish  of  mind,  and,  in  speaking 
of  it,  he  often  exclaimed:  ^'How  mysterious  are  the 
ways  of  Providence;  the  judgments  of  God  are  a  great 
deep — who  can  understand  His  wa3^s." 

After  the  war,  he  found  his  flnances  in  a  depreciated 
condition,  but  that  same  determined  wifl  which  marked 
his  early  life  had  not  forsaken  him,  nor  had  his  love 
for  God  and  His  cause  lessened  in  the  least;  so  he 
adjusted  his  finances  as  w^ell  as  he  could,  and  com- 
menced to  visit  the  churches  to  see  his  brethren  and 
give  them  the  comforts  of  the  exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises  of  the  Gospel,  and  to  warn  sinners 
of  the  wrath  of  a  merciful  God.  His  visits  were 
cordially  received,  and  crowned  with  the  most  gracious 
results. 

The  desire  of  his  heart  was  to  be  useful — to  build 
up  the  cause  in  Virginia  and  to  bring  the  brotherhood 


Elder  John  G.  Parrish  263 

nearer  together  and  give  them  a  means  of  communica- 
ing  with  one  another;  so,  in  1868,  in  connection  with 
Bro.  Hopson,  he  commenced  to  piibUsh  the  Christian 
Examiner,  which  he  edited  with  abiUty  and  prudence 
up  to  his  death. 

There  are  many  developments  of  moral  character, 
of  mental  endowments,  and  Christian  fortitude,  in- 
terspersed in  the  life  of  Bro.  Parrish,  which  would  be 
interesting  and  profitable  to  the  patient  reader,  but 
such  is  the  rage  for  short  articles,  brief  sketches,  and 
small  books,  that  we  must  forego  the  pleasure  of  re- 
cording them.  But  we  must  be  allowed  to  speak  of 
his  death,  and  some  few  qualities  of  his  mind  and 
sanctified  soul,  before  we  close.  During  the  war,  as 
we  have  said,  he  contracted  a  disease  which,  as  a 
hidden  gangrene,  preyed  upon  his  physical  man  and 
gave  him  much  pain.  At  first,  to  look  at  him,  his 
physical  man  indicated  health,  while  he  was  suffering 
much;  but  as  he  never  wished  to  obtrude  his  cares  or 
his  sufferings  upon  others,  the  looker-on  little  knew  the 
pain  within.  But  after  a  while  the  wasting  hand  of 
disease  began  to  show  itself  in  his  sunken  features  and 
emaciated  frame.  His  voice,  which  had  thrilled  many 
an  audience  in  clear  accents,  began  to  sound  heavy, 
and  to  show  that  it  was  painful  for  him  to  speak.  His 
step  indicated  weakness,  and  his  general  appearance 
the  presence  of  much  suffering.  And,  strange  to  say, 
he  seldom  spoke  of  himself,  either  by  way  of  com- 
plaint or  solicitude.  He  continued  to  preach  until 
he  could  hold  out  no  longer,  and  most  reluctantly 
discontinued  his  ministrations.  For  some  time  he 
attended  Church  and  worshiped  in  silence,  but  after 
awhile  he  had  to  deny  himself  that  gratification. 
Weaker  and  weaker  he  became,  until  he  was  confined 
to  his  room,  thence  to  his  bed.  He  came  down  to  this 
stage  so  gradually,  that  he  hardly  realized  his  own 
situation.     During    all    this    time    he    wrote    for    the 


264  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Christian  Examiner,  and  when  he  could  no  longer 
write,  his  daughter  Lucie  and  his  sons  wrote  by  his 
dictation.  His  mind  was  clear  to  the  last,  and  his 
faith  increased  as  he  neared  the  turbid  waters  of 
death.  He  spoke  of  his  sufferings  as  divine  blessings, 
and,  in  gratitude,  spoke  of  the  kindness  of  God  in 
bringing  him  down  so  gently  to  the  parting  hour.  In 
the  midst  of  loving  friends  and  endeared  children,  he 
most  quietly  breathed  his  last  on  Lord's  day  morning, 
at  ten  o'clock,  the  30th  of  July,  187L 

Thus  lived  and  passed  away  one  who  loved  the 
truth  and  its  author  from  a  pure  heart.  He  was  a 
disciple  in  deed  and  in  truth.  He  was  never  willing 
to  make  any  compromise  with  error,  and  was  unal- 
terably opposed  to  every  form  of  sectarianism  over  the 
mind  of  man.  He  believed  in,  advocated  and  defended 
to  his  latest  breath,  a  pure  Christianity  in  definition, 
doctrine,  and  practice.  In  connection  withDr.  Broad- 
dus,  one  among  the  last  acts  of  his  life  was  to  revise 
and  prepare  for  publication  the  proceedings  of  the 
conference  between  the  Disciples  and  Baptists  in  1866. 

He  was  neither  an  abstractionist  nor  a  sentimen- 
talist, but  a  man  of  faith — faith  in  God  in  all  he  did, 
commanded  and  promised.  Hence  he  never  gave  any 
credence  to  modern  dreams,  visions,  and  other  vagaries, 
as  evidences  of  divine  grace.  He  lived  by  faith,  and 
died  in  the  faith.  The  Word  of  God,  to  him,  was  "more 
precious  than  gold,  yea  than  much  fine  gold;  sweeter 
than  honey  and  the  honeycomb."  This  was  fully  ex- 
emplified in  his  self-denial  and  devotion  to  the  cause 
of  God,  when,  with  his  talents,  he  could  have  been 
pecuniarily  a  successful  man.     But  he  has  gone 

"Where  neither  gloom  nor  sorrow  shades  the  mind; 
Where  joys  ne'er  fade,  nor  the  soul's  power  decay; 
But  youth  and  spring  eternal  bloom." 


SILAS  SHELBURN. 

Silas  Shelburn,  ''the  'Raccoon'  John  Smith"  of 
Virginia,  was  born  June  4,  1790.  He  was  the  son  of 
James  Shelburn,  a  Baptist  minister,  who,  as  related  in 
Chapter  I.  of  our  Historical  Sketch,  had,  at  a  meeting 
of  Meherrin  Baptist  Church,  opposed  the  adoption  of 
Philadelphia  Confession  or  any  other  creed,  main- 
taining that  the  Word  of  God  is  all-sufficient. 

Sometime  between  the  years  1810  and  1815  Silas 
Shelburn  began  to  accompany  his  father  on  his  preach- 
ing tours.  In  one  of  the  first  meetings  they  held 
together  several  persons  presented  themselves  for 
baptism  and  Church  membership.  Father  Shelburn 
said,  "Let  the  candidates  be  examined  to  see  if  their 
Christian  experiences  are  satisfactory,"  when  his  son, 
Silas,  spoke  up  and  said,  "Father,  that  is  not  in  accord 
with  the  Scriptures;  that  is  not  the  way  the  Apostles 
did.  How  can  these  men,  who  have  been  sinners  all 
their  lives,  and  who  have  never  lived  a  Christian  life, 
give  a  Christian  experience?  You  might  as  well  require 
every  young  couple  who  comes  to  you  to  be  married 
to  give  a  married  experience  before  you  perform  the 
marriage  ceremony."  "Go  on,  Silas,  and  do  right," 
said  the  old  man,  and  from  that  time  forth  they  bap- 
tized believing  penitents  on  their  confession  that 
"Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God." 

Silas  continued  with  his  father  until  the  death  of  the 
latter,  in  1820.  Shortly  before  his  death  James 
Shelburn  addressed  himself  to  his  son  in  the  following 


266  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

impressive  manner:  "Oh,  my  son,  the  Church  Hes 
heavy,  very  heavy,  on  my  mind.  I  fear  that  a  cold 
and  trying  time  is  approaching,  and  that  many  will  be 
seeking  a  more  fashionable  religion.  Watch  over 
their  souls,  as  one  who  must  give  an  account  unto 
God,  and  keep  yourself  unspotted  from  the  world. 
Do  not  aspire  after  men  of  great  swelHng  words,  but 
study  the  Scriptures,  preaching  the  Gospel  in  its  sim- 
plicity; be  meek,  lowly  and  unassuming  in  your  man- 
ners, with  all  holy  conversation,  as  becometh  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  Never  aim  at  things  too  deep,  and 
incomprehensible  for  mortals  to  know,  remembering 
that  there  is  as  much  made  plain  as  it  is  the  will  of 
our  Heavenly  Father  we  should  know;  for  'secret 
things  belong  to  God,  and  things  that  are  revealed 
belong  to  us.'  Throughout  life,  whatever  difficulties 
you  may  have  to  encounter,  never  return  railing  for 
railing,  but  contrariwise,  in  doing  which  you  will 
overcome  ten  where  you  will  one  by  any  other  method." 
Under  the  guidance  of  such  a  father,  it  was  but 
natural  that  Silas  Shelburn  should  have  loved  the 
truth  above  everything.  He  now  gave  up  everything 
else  and  devoted  his  entire  time  to  the  ministry.  He 
early  became  a  reader  of  the  Christian  Baptist,  and 
adopted  many  reform  measures,  among  which  was  the 
weekl}^  observance  of  the  liord's  Supper.  He  was 
then  preaching  for  the  Baptist  churches  left  vacant 
by  the  death  of  his  father.  Abner  Clopton,  a  leading 
Baptist  preacher  of  the  Meherrin  Association,  endeav- 
ored to  have  Bro.  Shelburn  disfellowshipped  by  the 
publication   of   proscriptional   decrees,    as   related   in 


Silas  Shelburn  267 

Chapter  IV.  of  our  Historical  Sketch.  In  this  he 
failed,  and  the  lack  of  success  of  the  attempt  caused 
Bro.  Shelburn  to  remain  in  the  Baptist  ranks  until 
long  after  most  of  his  reform  brethren  in  Virginia  had 
thrown  off  the  denominational  yoke.  Ultimately 
all  the  group  of  churches  for  which  he  preached  be- 
came simply  churches  of  Christ. 

Silas  Shelburn  traveled  all  over  Virginia,  doing  the 
work  of  an  evangelist.  No  record  of  his  work  or  life 
can  be  written.  He  brought  many  souls  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God.  The  remainder  of  this  sketch  will 
be  devoted  to  illustrations  from  his  life  that  bring  out 
his  quaint,  humorous,  yet  frank  and  brave  character. 

He  was  uneducated,  but  few  could  get  the  marrow 
and  fatness  of  Scripture  as  he  could.  It  used  to  be 
customary  at  the  yearly  State  meeting  to  devote  one 
session  to  the  preachers.  After  each  speech  time  was 
given  for  criticism  of  the  speaker.  On  one  occasion 
while  this  was  going  on  Bro.  Shelburn,  growing  weary 
of  such  exercises,  started  to  leave  old  Sycamore  Church, 
Richmond.  As  he  was  nearing  the  door,  one  of  the 
preaching  brethren  said:  ''I  see  old  Bro.  Shelburn 
going  out,  and  before  he  goes  I  want  to  say  to  him  that 
I  do  wish  he  would  stop  saying  'agin'  for  'against  '  and 
'gwine'  for  'going.'  The  old  man  without  hesitation 
replied,  "Well,  if  that's  all  you've  got  agin  me  I'm 
gwine  along."  A  young  preacher  who  had  rather  an 
exalted  opinion  of  his  powers,  after  preaching  in  the 
presence  of  Bro.  Shelburn,  asked  him  what  he  thought 
of  the  sermon.  "Wall,  brother,"  said  the  old  man, 
"there's  a  pint  down  on  the  Eastern  Shore  they  call 


268  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

Tint  No  Pint.'  You  were  as  near  there  to-day  as  you'll 
ever  get."  Another  preacher  who  had  gone  rather 
deeply  into  some  metaphysical  speculation  in  a  sermon, 
to  which  Silas  Shelburn  had  listened,  asked  him  what 
he  thought  of  his  metaphysics.  The  reply  was, 
"Metaphysics?  Wall  I  didn't  know  what  kind  of  physic 
it  was,  but  it  made  me  mighty  sick."  Some  one  asked 
him  at  a  meeting  where  he  preached  in  the  presence  of 
Alexander  Campbell  if  he  was  not  afraid  to  preach 
before  Mr.  Campbell.  "No,"  he  answered,  "I  have 
preached  before  God  Almighty  many  a  time,  and  I 
don't  know  why  I  should  be  afraid  to  preach  before 
Alexander  Campbell!"  Present  one  day  at  a  bap- 
tizing in  old  Sycamore  Church,  Richmond,  as  the 
pastor,  Bro.  W.  J.  Pettigrew,  withdrew  to  the  dressing- 
room,  old  Bro.  Shelburn  slowly  arose  from  the  front 
bench,  where,  as  w^as  his  custom,  he  had  stretched  him- 
self, and  amid  the  dead  silence  which  prevailed,  turn- 
ing his  beaming  countenance  tow^ard  the  congregation, 
said,  "Brethren,  sing  a  song  while  Brother  Pettigrew 
gets  his  breeches  on."  There  was  rather  a  sensation 
as  they  raised  the  hymn: 

"How  happy  are  they  who  their  Savior  obey." 

He  died  September  7,  1871.  Three  of  his  children 
and  three  grandchildren  have  been  preachers  of  the 
Gospel. 


ELDER  CHAS.  TALLEY. 

Chas.  Talley,  or  Father  Talley,  as  he  was  famiUarly 
called,  was  the  son  of  William  and  Christian  Talley. 
He  was  born  near  Old  Church,  Hanover  county, 
Virginia,  in  October,  1765.  His  parents  w^ere  respected 
people  moving  in  humble  life,  his  mother  being  a 
devoted  member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  She  was  a 
woman  of  prayer,  and  early  taught  her  son  Charles  to 
believe  in  the  existence  of  God — that  he  could  see  all 
he  did,  hear  all  he  said,  and  would  hold  him  accountable 
for  both  in  the  day  of  judgment.  Father  Talley's 
father  died  soon  after  his  birth.  He  lived  with  his 
mother  until  he  was  sixteen  years  old.  An  incident 
occurred  during  this  time  which  showed  that  he  was 
a  youth  of  determination  of  character.  In  the  w^ar  of 
the  Revolution  the  Enghsh  took  from  his  mother  her 
only  horse,  and  he,  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  had  the 
courage  to  take  from  them  a  valuable  horse  in  full 
view  of  their  encampment.  The  quickness  of  his 
movements  and  his  size  so  astonished  the  enemy  that 
before  they  could  realize  the  object  he  had  in  view  he 
had  made  good  his  escape  with  the  horse  and  brought 
him  home  in  triumph.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  went 
to  learn  a  trade,  and  served  five  years'  apprenticeship. 
He  worked  at  his  trade  for  some  years,  and  w^as  es- 
teemed a  good  workman.  He  was  always  moral, 
truthful  and  upright,  but  there  was  in  him  a  fondness 
for  dancing,  and  he  had  made  arrangements  to  organize 
a  dancing  school;   but  the  influence  of  his  mother  had 


270  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

made  such  an  impression  upon  his  mind  that  he  felt 
ill  at  ease  in  such  an  undertaking.  The  impropriety 
of  a  dancing  school,  like  David's  sin,  was  ever  before 
him;  and  to  the  surprise  of  his  acquaintance,  he 
abandoned  the  idea,  made  a  public  profession  of  his 
faith  in  Jesus,  and  united  with  the  Methodist  Church. 
Now  his  religious  usefulness  began.  His  mother 
had  taught  him  to  read,  wTite,  and  cipher  as  far  as 
the  rule  of  three.  This  was,  as  a  general  rule  at  that, 
day,  the  highest  education  attained  among  the  poor. 
He  became  a  pubHc  advocate  of  the  Christian  religion. 
He  became  an  independent  preacher,  and  went  every- 
where preaching  the  Word,  visiting  many  sections  of 
the  State  and  bringing  many  into  the  fold  of  the 
church.  But  his  mind  was  not  at  rest,  for  he  could 
plainly  see  the  defects  of  Methodism.  He  loved  the 
Methodist  Church,  he  loved  her  members;  it  was  the 
church  dear  to  his  mother,  and  all  his  early  religious 
associations  were  connected  with  her.  What  to  do  or 
how  to  act,  gave  him  much  concern.  But  he  prayed 
and  searched  for  the  truth.  About  this  time,  O'Kelley, 
of  North  Carolina,  made  his  attempt  to  effect  a  reform 
in  the  Methodist  Church.  Those  who  united  with 
this  move  were  known  as  "O'Kelleyites."  Father 
Talley  united  with  them,  and  continued  to  preach; 
still  he  did  not  feel  satisfied  that  this  was  what  the 
New  Testament  taught.  This  was  in  1800,  and  on  the 
18th  of  January  of  that  year  he  married  Ann  W. 
Mills,  a  widow,  w^hose  maiden  name  was  Starke.  She 
was  a  lady  of  high  respectability.  By  this  marriage 
he  had  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter. 


Elder  Chas.  Talley  271 

His  son  became  a  physician  and  a  useful  member 
of  the  Church  his  father  afterward  founded.  Father 
Talley 's  wife  died,  and  on  January  11,  1804,  he  married 
Elizabeth  Crutchfield,  a  lady  of  honorable  family  and 
high  respectability.  By  this  marriage  he  had  two  sons, 
both  of  whom  died  young.  Father  Talley  was  deter- 
mined to  know  the  truth,  so  he  continued  the  study  of 
the  Word  of  God.  He  became  convinced  that  sprink- 
ling is  not  baptism,  and  one  of  the  great  principles 
of  his  life  was  to  follow  the  convictions  of  his  soul  in 
all  matters.  Here  was  a  test  of  his  faith.  He  reasoned 
thus:  ''If  immersion  is  baptism,  1  must  be  immersed; 
it  is  equally  so  for  all  others;" — and  as  he  could  not 
remain  in  full  fellowship  with  the  Methodist  Church, 
even  under  the  reformation  of  O'Kelley,  and  preach 
his  convictions,  that  fellowship  must  be  severed.  He 
was  immersed  and  united  with  the  Baptist  Church. 
He  entered  upon  his  work  with  renewed  zeal,  and  soon 
built  up  one  of  the  largest  churches  in  the  Baptist 
denomination  in  Hanover  county.  He  was  opposed 
to  all  human  creeds.  Though  he  labored  with  great 
energy  and  success  he  was  not  considered  a  sound 
Baptist  minister.  But  that  did  not  deter  him  from 
searching  the  Word  of  God,  and  preaching  what  he 
learned.  He  saw  that  the  Baptist  Church,  in  some 
respects,  did  not  preach  the  whole  truth,  as  it  was 
taught  in  the  New  Testament.  That  the  primitive 
Church  met  on  every  first  day  of  the  week  to  break 
bread,  was  to  him  as  plainly  taught  as  that  ''Remember 
the  Sabbath  Day"  meant  every  Sabbath  Day.  About 
this  time  the  Christian  Baptist  made  its  appearance. 


272  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

As  he  read  it,  new  light  began  to  break  in  upon  his  mind. 
He  was  confirmed  in  the  opinions  he  had  already 
gathered  from  his  search  of  God's  Word,  and  had 
developed  to  him  equally  important  truths,  facts  and 
commands,  with  their  antecedents  and  consequents. 
Without  conferring  with  flesh  and  blood,  he  came  out 
fully  for  the  primitive  order  of  things.  New  light 
gave  him  new  energy,  and  having  God's  Word  to  guide 
him,  he  trusted  more  to  the  Holy  Spirit  for  success. 
He  soon  had  established  and  built  up  the  largest 
Christian  Church  in  that  section,  which  became 
known  as  Bethesda  Church.  Nearly  all  of  his  former 
members — both  Baptists  and  Methodists — united  with 
him  in  his  new  work.  He  continued  to  preach  for 
them  with  both  approbation  and  success  till  the  day 
of  his  death,  and  lead  many  to  Christ  through  his 
earnest  words  and  godlike  example.  He  fell  asleep 
on  the  15th  day  of  April,  1847,  in  the  eighty-first  year 
of  his  age,  at  his  residence,  about  three  miles  from  his 
natal  place. 


ELDER  A.  B.  WALTHALL. 

Careful  search  has  failed  to  elicit  very  much  direct 
information  concerning  the  life  and  labors  of  Bro. 
Walthall.  He  was  born  in  Amelia  county,  between 
1800  and  1805,  and  when  a  young  man  became  inter- 
ested in  religious  matters.  Silas  Shelburn  was  at 
that  time  preaching  through  Amelia  as  a  Baptist. 
Bro.  Walthall  got  hold  of  the  Christian  Baptist  about 
the  time  it  was  first  published,  and  as  the  teaching 
set  forth  appealed  to  his  sound  common  sense,  he 
began  to  circulate  the  paper  among  his  friends 
throughout  the  county.  In  1830  he  was  the  leading 
elder  in  the  Church  at  Paineville,  and  often  led  the 
meetings  of  the  Church.  He  soon  recognized  his 
calling,  and  entered  upon  the  proclamation  of  the 
Gospel  as  a  life  work.  He  was  zealous  and  ambitious 
for  the  truth,  and  his  labors  covered  such  an  extensive 
territory,  that  it  would  be  difficult  indeed  to  give  any 
definite  account  of  his  work.  He  was  the  lifelong 
friend  and  preaching  companion  of  Geo.  W.  Abell, 
and  together  they  visited  nearly  every  section  of 
Eastern  Virginia. 

A  few  little  incidents  that  occurred  in  the  experi- 
ence of  these  brethren  are  worthy  of  note,  as  they 
bring  out  something  of  their  characteristics. 

On  one  occasion  Bro.  Abell  was  to  baptize  the  sister 

of  a  Methodist  woman.     On  arriving  at  the  stream,  in 

company  with  Bro.  Walthall,  they  heard  the  woman 

mentioned  venting  her    religious  wrath  in  a  tirade  of 

18 


274  The  Plea  and  the  Pioneers  in  Virginia 

abuse  on  Bro.  Abell  and  his  religion.  When  they 
started  for  the  water  the  ireful  lady  ran  up  and  tried 
to  tear  the  candidate  loose  from  Bro.  Abell's  grasp, 
but  her  husband  released  her  hold.  But  no  sooner  had 
he  let  her  go  than  she  snatched  up  a  stone  and,  throw- 
ing it  with  all  her  strength,  struck  Bro.  Abell  on  the 
heel  ere  he  reached  the  water's  edge.  Returning  from 
the  baptism,  Bro.  Walthall  Avas  just  behind  the  en- 
raged lady,  when  she  declared  that  Bro.  Abell  had 
baptized  a  great  sinner;  ''for,"  said  she,  ''that  girl 
has  no  more  religion  than  I  have — and  everybody 
knows  that  I  have  none."  "That,"  said  Bro.  Walth- 
all," is  quite  evident,  madam."  After  it  was  all  over, 
Bro.  Walthall  remarked  to  Bro.  Abell,  "So  the  serpent 
bruised  your  heel;  but  I  think  you  wounded  his  head." 
Relaxing  into  a  smile,  the  latter  replied,  "I  am  satis- 
fied with  the  issue." 

At  another  time  they  were  conducting  a  meeting 
together  amid  much  opposition.  Brother  Abell,  as  his 
manner  was,  had  spoken  freely  of  the  Devil's  work  in 
vilely  slandering  the  children  of  God,  and  in  putting 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  returning  prodigal. 

One  night  they  lodged  in  the  hotel  owned  by  an 
afflicted  brother,  whose  son-in-law  was  the  active 
manager.  After  retiring  they  were  aroused  by  the 
noise  of  a  terrible  fracas  below.  Profane  utterances, 
angry  threats,  mingled  shrieks  and  cries  of  men  and 
women,  all  betokened  perilous  times  for  the  proclaimers 
of  the  Truth.  The  two  brethren  were  up  and  dressed 
in  a  few  moments,  and  Bro.  Abell  started  down.  Bro. 
Walthall  called  his  attention  to  the  danger,  and  the 


Elder  A.  B.  Walthall  275 

prompt  answer  was,  "I  am  going  to  meet  it."  They 
both  went  down,  and  when  they  entered  the  room 
below,  the  afflicted  brother,  who  earher  in  hfe  had  been 
remarkably  active,  was  on  the  scene,  and  bounding 
from  man  to  man,  he  soon  cleared  the  room  of  the 
dastardly  set.  The  Devil  had  determined  to  avenge 
himself  upon  the  preachers  by  an  effort  to  break  up  the 
meeting;  but  he  signally  failed,  for  the  meeting  con- 
tinued several  days  and  was  quite  a  success. 

Bro.  Walthall  lost  a  son  during  the  war.  He  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek.  This  was  a  hard 
blow  to  the  father,  who  set  great  hopes  upon  his  son, 
but  that  abiding  faith  which  he  had  used  to  comfort 
others  in  the  hour  of  trial  now  sustained  him.  He 
was  drawn  closer  to  the  Saviour  by  his  affliction,  and 
continued  to  proclaim  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ.     He  died  about  the  year  1880. 

We  regret  that  this  account  of  the  life  of  this  good 
man  is  so  meagre  in  details. 


MATTHEW  WEBBER. 

The  details  concerning  the  Ufe  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  are  few.  He  was  born  during  the  first  decade 
of  the  last  century.  His  father,  William  Webber, 
was  a  dissenter  from  the  Church  of  England,  at  a  time 
when  it  was  perilous  to  preach  any  other  doctrine  than 
that  authorized  by  the  English  laws.  He  was  twice 
committed  to  prison  and  once  pubHcly  whipped  for 
preaching  Baptist  doctrine.  When  in  jail  he  con- 
tinued to  preach  through  prison  bars,  and  refused 
liberty  on  the  terms  of  discontinuing  his  proclamation 
of  what  he  deemed  the  truth.  It  is  not  strange  that 
the  son  of  such  a  father  should  be  a  fearless  advocate 
of  the  Gospel.  Matthew  W^ebber  early  united  with 
the  Baptist  Church.  He  was  an  earnest  student  of 
the  Bible,  and  his  active  mind  questioned  many  of  the 
religious  practices  of  that  day,  unable  to  find  their 
counterpart  in  God's  Word.  He  read  the  Christian 
Baptist  and  proclaimed  the  principles  of  the  restoration, 
then  but  just  inaugurated.  He  was  a  Baptist  preacher, 
but  in  favor  of  reformation.  By  his  side  stood  Peter 
AinsHe,  Thomas  M.  Henley,  Dudley  Atkinson  and 
Dr.  Du  Val. 

He  was  one  of  the  six  who  were  excluded  from  the 
Baptist  ranks  by  the  Dover  Decree.  When  IMatthew 
Webber's  father,  years  before,  was  imprisoned,  his 
Baptist  brethren  were  indignant  at  such  proscription. 
They  stood  for  reUgious  freedom.  But  their  children 
would  keep  the  people  from  listening  to  the  Gospel 
from  the  Hps  of  Matthew  Webber,  his  son. 


Matthew  Webber  277 

Bro.  Webber  was  naturally  eloquent  and  a  fine 
debater.  He  preached  for  several  years  at  the  old 
Temperance  meeting-house,  in  Hanover  county,  also 
in  a  grove  in  the  lower  corner  of  Louisa  county.  He 
also  traveled  much  as  an  evangelist  through  the  Tide- 
water district. 

On  one  occasion  a  man  met  him  in  the  road  while 
on  his  way  to  preach,  and  with  a  vindictiveness  char- 
acteristic of  the  times,  said,  "Campbelhte!  Camp- 
bellite!"  Bro.  Webber  replied,  as  calmly  as  if  nothing 
had  been  said,  "  Better  be  a  Campbellite  than  no  light 
at  all." 

Bro.  Webber  was  married  three  times.  He  was 
kind  and  indulgent  to  his  family,  and  a  good  friend 
and  neighbor. 

He  moved  to  West  Tennessee  in  1837,  and  accu- 
mulated considerable  property,  but  lost  nearly  every- 
thing during  the  war.  His  son,  Thomas  Morton 
Webber,  was  killed  in  the  war. 

Bro.  Webber  was  a  man  of  fine  business  ability,  and 
after  the  war  again  accumulated  a  large  estate.  At 
one  time  he  owned  over  800  sheep  and  cattle.  He 
died  at  the  age  of  eighty-six,  near  Memphis,  respected 
and  loved  bv  all  who  knew  him. 


UNBIOGRAPHED. 

We  bring  this  volume  to  a  close,  not  from  any  lack 
of  able  men  of  whom  to  write.  Eastern  Virginia  gave 
a  host  of  able  preachers  to  the  Brotherhood,  besides 
those  who  spent  their  lives  within  her  borders.  In 
fact,  no  other  State  can  boast  of  as  many  able  men 
given  to  the  current  reformation  as  the  Old  Dominion. 
There  was  Samuel  Rogers,  born  in  Charlotte  county, 
in  1789.  Virginia  gave  him  to  her  daughters,  Missouri 
and  Kentucky.  Then  there  were  the  Creaths.  Jacob 
Creath,  Sr.,  was  first  ordained  to  preach  in  old  Round- 
about Meeting-House,  Louisa  county,  Virginia,  in 
1798.  Henry  Clay  pronounced  him  ''the  finest  orator 
that  Kentucky  has  ever  produced."  His  nephew, 
Jacob  Creath,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Mecklenburg  county, 
Virginia,  in  1799,  and  was  baptized  by  James  Shelburn, 
the  father  of  Silas  Shelburn,  in  1817.  He  was  another 
gift  to  Kentucky.  Then  there  was  Aylette  Raines, 
who  was  born  near  Fredericksburg,  in  1797.  There, 
too,  was  John  O'Kane,  born  in  Culpeper  county,  in 
1802,  Virginia's  gift  to  Indiana.  T.  M.  Allen  was  a 
Virginian  by  birth;  Barton  Warren  Stone  spent  his 
early  years  and  did  some  of  his  first  preaching  in 
Virginia;  John  T.  Johnson  and  Winthrop  Hopson 
were  worthy  sons  of  Virginia  parents;  and  last,  but 
not  least,  that  cultered  man  of  God,  W.  K.  Pendleton, 
was  a  Virginian  of  Virginians.  The  foregoing  list  is 
far    from    complete.     We    have    not    undertaken    to 


Unhiographed  279 

biograph  them,  because  most  of  their  labors  were  per- 
formed elsewhere,  but  Virginia  is  proud  of  the  record 
of  her  sons  in  the  Gospel. 

There  is  still  a  group  of  pioneers,  who  labored  all  their 
lives  in  Eastern  Virginia,  the  record  of  whose  triumphs 
in  the  Gospel  would  be  equally  as  interesting  as  those 
which  have  been  given,  but  lack  of  definite  records  of 
their  work  forces  us  to  pass  them  with  the  simple 
mention  of  their  names:  James  Henshall,  Robert 
Y.  Henley,  Peter  Ainslie  (Second),  Cephas  Shelburn, 
James  A.  Cowgill,  John  Richards,  Hunter,  and  Hugart. 

Truly,  ''Others  have  labored,  and  ye  have  entered 
into  their  labors." 


938.92 


K66 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


0035521910 


